


Sins (we are what we're made)

by annhamilton



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Angst, Arranged Marriage, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2019-07-07 08:20:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 32,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15904473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annhamilton/pseuds/annhamilton
Summary: After the Circle was brought down the Clave offered to give the downworld leaders anything to get them to sign the new  accords. Many demanded money  power and pardons. Magnus Bane demanded the unborn child on Maryse and Robert Lightwood. One the child was twenty-two they were to be wed.Alec Lightwood expected a nice quiet twenty second birthday but when he find out about the marriage everything changes.REWRITTEN VERSION ON SINS (WE DO AS WE'RE TOLD)





	1. mea maxima culpa

_The chair is huge and dwarfs the little boy sitting in it. The cuffs and straps hold him in place as the machines take their position._

_The ten-year-old thrashes, he has to be awake for this procedure, but after with help, he will believe this to only be a dream._

_He screams and screams but no one lets him go, he is only gagged._

_Tears roll down his face and he tries to bear the pain._

* * *

Alec Lightwood moves through his room with familiar ease despite only being in the Lightwood Manor of Idris rarely.

Alec's life is essentially in New York City hunting demons. He dresses in dark jeans and a red t-shirt.

He hates being the center of attention and today is his twenty-second birthday which wasn't anything important he could already drink fight in a war. The only thing was he could legally be the head of the New York Institute.

It wasn't a big deal because he had practically been running the place for three years since his parents had been to busy with his little brother Max and on the Idris council.  
He has every intention to spend the day with Isabelle, Jace, and Max.

Alec gives his hair a quick comb through before opening the door and—

Arhhhh!

A hand grabs his ankle and he falls down… head first. He rolls over and sees his attackers, Isabelle, Jace, and Max to no surprise.

"Guys," he tries.

"You looked like a tree," Jace said and Alec has the urge to punch him. "Falling down," he clarified.

They all looked at each other and dissolved into laughter, the breathless kind that left your sides hurting.

"Hap— Happy" Max managed between bouts of silent laughter. "Birthday."

Once the laughter stopped they all stood up and Jace clapped him on the shoulder, "happy birthday old man."

"You're a year younger." Alec kicked Jace's shin. They both chuckled.

Isabelle rolled her eyes, "I'm living with children."

“Just so you know I’m doing that to all of you,” grumbled Alec.

“Sure, buddy,” Jace lead the pack as they made their way to the kitchen.

“You scare me, trip me, but no breakfast,” Alec said dramatically, as they entered the kitchen

“Hey,” Isabelle put her hands up in mock surrender. “I’ve been kicked out of the kitchen.”

“You said yesterday that you didn’t want to make a big deal outta this,” Jace gestured vaguely as he spoke.

“Whatever,” Alec did say that for good reason, he didn’t want some party with people he barely knew.

“Who died,” Jace said. Confused Alec turned around and saw his parents looking almost sad. Dad looked like he was going to a conference dressed in a grey suit. Mom was just as formal, black dress.

“Where are you going,” Max asked sounded almost uninterested.

“For now nowhere,” Dad answered cryptically.

“They will be coming here so Isabelle Jace and Max go get presentable,” Mom ordered. Isabelle, Jace, and Max shared a look and walked out of the kitchen talking under their breath.

“Who?” Alec asked.

“Warlock Bane,” Mom said her expression shifted to something resembling uncertainty.

Alec runs a hand down the marble counter-tops and focuses on that instead of his own uncertainty and why his parents who have always been so sure and strong look fearful and unsure.

“You are twenty-two years old and of suitable age for marriage,” Mom said.

So that was it marriage was something Alec has known to be coming for years a political marriage to women. He has had crushes before on a few boys….

“I know mom so who’s it going to be.” He tried to keep the malice from his response but was less than successful.

Mom looked at Dad and he sat down, Dad looked at his wife again. “To... well you are to be given to Magnus Bane.”

Alec frowned, “you’re joking,” he tried hopefully, this cannot be happening to him.

“Twenty-two is as long as we can put it off for.” Mom said.

“Why this.” He stared at the cabinet unable to do anything else. “Why me.”

“Because that warlock,” he says warlock as a slur. “Demanded our firstborn”

“He has a personal grudge against the Lightwoods and the downwolders could make demands after Valentine” Mom explained.

Alec gripped the granite tight enough for his knuckles to turn white, he forced himself to keep calm. “How can you let this happen?”

“Don’t you see we have no choice the clave decided we are to keep the downworld happy,” Dad said. “All the warlocks made demands like money but Bane said ‘I want to take something that will matter'. So he demanded our child The Clave decided this was within reason.”

“Can I still be a shadowhunter?”

“Yes, you will work out the details with him, that's what we’ve decided is best. This is a service to The Clave and you will do it without complaint.” Mom said as she stands up. “Eat he will be here at ten in the gardens.”

Alec took a deep breath and opened the doors to the expansive garden he checks his watch it reads 9:58. He sits down on the stone bench tucked away in the corner. He wonders why Magnus hates his family. All his parent's answers were extremely vague with the answers. He can’t get over the sinking suspicion that they’re not telling him something.

He closes his eyes letting himself slightly tune out the world. A day off comes rarely in this line of work. Even though the news of his engagement was startling he wasn’t married yet. Maybe Magnus Bane would change his mind and let Alec out of the deal. Hopefully, he realized Alec was boring and would only waste his time.

Alec knew that the chance of that happening was slim he knew Mangus didn’t want to marry him because he was lonely. Magnus was marrying him so he could marry a woman for power and have kids to carry on the Lightwood name. Also marrying a warlock would tarnish the name beyond repair.

But he could hope. Hope that Mangus secretly plans to kill him so maybe he could keep some dignity. A depressing thought but entirely plausible both of them alone and Magnus could easily overpower him. Magnus could make it look like an accident. Even with this fact Alec still wasn’t scared of Mangus.

He was scared because there would be whispers and insults. Pitying looks and painful years. A slur he had hoped to avoid his entire life by never going after what he wanted.

A sound echoed through the garden and Alec looked up to see a man— Magnus Bane standing behind the golden whirl of a portal.

Alec lost his breath—he was striking. Magnus Bane was dressed in a back shirt with red and gold accents. His hair was spiked up and he was wearing many necklaces, rings bracelets.

Alec stood up and tried to speak but found no sound coming out. He looked down self consciously he had never really given care to his appearance, it probably showed.

He looked back up remembering himself, he’s a shadowhunter. He looks a Mangus and finds himself falling back into the self-conscious state of mind. Magnus’ eyes are scanning him up and down.

“Hello, Warlock Bane.”

Magnus’ eyes bore into him, he looked like he was analyzing him, he probably was. “Hello, Shadowhunter Lightwood.”

Magus kept looking at him as he walked around the gardens, his fingers graced a purple flower. “Now,” He traced the edges of the flower, “any questions.”

“Why?” Alec said he needed to know.

Magnus looked away choosing to stare at the flower. “Do you really not know?”

“Know what?” Alec asked his voice getting sharper.

“You beloved parents killed an entire house of young warlocks,” Mangus’ eyes flicked back over to Alec they had so much disgust in them. “Slaughtered them for Valentine.”

Alec, too shocked for words, just stood there.

“Are you going to defend them,” Magnus asked and dropped the flower Alec saw it was crumpled—Mangus no doubt crushed it in anger— “Do you believe I’m filthy warlock scum?”

“No, I... I… my parents… they don’t have the mak they aren’t—”

“The switched sides last minute and got a deal,” Magnus said, his tone was angry for good reason too. “Did you really think I would just demand their first-born for kicks.”

“So you are ruining the Lightwood name,” Alec said. “A clever way I’ll give you that.”

“Not really,” Magnus took a step forward.

“I just please,” Alec begged. “You can ruin the Lightwood name some other way. Please, my life will be ruined.”

“Oh, I know. It’s petty revenge and they deserve it.” Magnus said his face suddenly saddened. “It's what I can do for those kids. I don’t want you personally, but this is as close as I can get to touching the Lightwoods.”

“But I didn’t do anything,” Alec said pathetically.

“And yet I can’t touch those who did.”

Alec sat down on the bench his head hung. “I will never get a shred of respect after this,” Alec said. “And I didn’t do a thing.”

“Neither did those warlocks.”

“Then you’re no better,” Alec raised his voice and he didn’t miss the minuscule flinch Mangus gave.

“I’m not trying to be.” Magnus walked over to him now in his personal space. “This is revenge I knew all those kids. Did they tell you it was a place to help warlock kids? They killed all of them in cold blood children so I’ll take a child from them but I’m merciful so I decided to let them have twenty-two year of one.”

Alec’s skin tingled where Magnus’ breath touched his skin. “I didn’t know they were in the circle.”

“How old were you when they told about our engagement?” Manus asked, still standing close enough what Alec could smell the mint in his mouth.

“I found out today,” Alec admitted and almost, almost stepped back

“Really,” Magnus whispered. “Must still not feel real.”

“It doesn’t,” Alec felt something in the air and he tried to ignore how being this close felt.

“Tell me this Alexander, are you in love with someone else?”

“And if I am?” Alec took a step back, his heart pounding in his chest.

“You’re not,” Magnus said, he too took a step back.

“I could be,” Alec muttered. “And everyone calls me Alec.”

“I’m not just anyone, Alexander. I’ll be your husband,” Magnus said, he looked at his bare wrist as if he was wearing a watch. “Well, I assume in a few hours, it's at four.”

Alec sputtered, “To—Ta—Today—-Today at—in—”

“They didn’t tell you that either,” Mangus smiled although it didn’t reach his eyes. “Well, secrets have always been the Lightwoods nature. I’m only assuming here that you don’t know how Benedict Lightwood died?”

Alec rubbed a hand over his face and closed his eyes. “No. Never heard of him.”

“His own sons killed him—-or well what was left of him. He got demon pox, Will wrote a whole song.”

Alec swallowed that was the least shocking of all the revelations today.

Magnus’ palms held blue magic as he brought a chair behind him and, with grace and perfection sat down before it hit him. “You certainly look like a decent of Cecily’s.”

Alec didn’t even ask he supposed Cecily could be his long-lost grandmother who married a greater demon.

“Is there any chance you’ve changed your mind.” Alec pleaded and dropped back on the stone bench.

“No can do pretty boy the New York warlocks have decided this was good for their interests as well.”

Alec blushed at the name and looked down trying to avoid the strange way Magnus was looking at him.

“I can’t just accept this,” Alec hissed out and stood up anger taking over him. “ No one will want the head of the institute to be a warlocks whore.” Alec instantly regretted what he said Mangus' face turned to stone. Alec almost apologized but instead pulled all emotion from his face and walked to the door.

Would you call me a whore, Alexander?” Surely you know my reputation.” Magnus presses on. “Alexander.”

Would you call me a whore, Alexander?” Alec doesn’t answer instead he looks down. “Surely you know my reputation.” Magnus presses on. “Alexander” he lets go of Alec’s hands.

No,” he answers.

“No,” Magnus echoed, “I’ve slept with so many people, Alexander.”

“I don’t know why I said that I-. That was dumb” Alec steps back and hits the closed door.

“I wasn’t dumb, Alexander just a matter of perspective,” Magnus curled and uncurled his hand red harsh magic sparked. “As is everything.” The sparks vanished.

“Alec” he corrected.

“I’m going to be your husband I think I can call you by your first name.”

Alec tensed at the word. “Please don’t mention that.”

“What, our marriage, he teased.

“Yes.”

Alec could feel his family watching through the tinted window. He stood up straight and clasped his hands behind his back.

“No chance.”

“None,” Magnus said his tone diplomatic and Alec wanted so bad to copy it. “I’m sorry.”

Alec swallowed the lump in his throat. “For what—I should be after what my parents did—.”

“It has to be like this,” Magnus said then turned and Alec saw blue magic resting in his hands. He moves his hand in a circular motion until a portal opened in less than a second.

With a final look over his shoulder, Magnus walked through the spiraling blue and black of a portal.

Alec opened the door and still fuming with anger saw his family staring back at him.

“The circle.”

“Alec, we were young and foolish—-” Father said.

“You killed innocent children just because they were warlocks.”

“You were what,” Jace said and his hands curled into fists.

“Max go upstairs,” Mom ordered. Max didn’t move. “Upstairs now,” she threatened. “Now,” she yelled and Max finally stopped upstairs.

“The circle,” Isabelle muttered. “Really, how dare you accuse me of tarnishing the family name.”       

“We left once we realized where this was heading.” Father picked up his coffee like it was a normal conversation over breakfast.

“After you murdered,” Jace said, his voice shaking. His father was killed by circle members in front of him. “How many did you kill.”

Mother looks down. “I don’t know.”

The three siblings share a look, Alec feels his own anger and betrayal and he feels Jace’s strong emotions the parabatai connection is fully open, both of them letting the other feel their soul. It only happens with such strong emotions or when they chose to fully open the bond.

Alec misses a man he never met but hates because of what he did but loves because he was _there._ He loves and hates the man equally as Jace.

"Your suit is in your room," Mom said. 

"So we just ignore this," Isabelle shakes her head. "Well, what else was I expecting. We actually talk."

"The ceremony will be simple," Mom says as if Isabelle never spoke. "And will commence at six-o'clock sharp." 

 Alec walked up the stairs ignoring the commotion as he climbed the marble to his room. He opened the door and went right for his bed flopping down face first. It was just this morning he wanted a simple party and now he was getting married to a warlock who hates his parents because they were in the circle. 

He laid there for a few minutes just trying to empty his mind as much as he could. There was too much his mind kept spinning in circles. He wondered if Mangus wanted to kill him.

He gave up and opened his closet and looked at his jacket is was the shadowhunter wedding color: gold. The suit was paired with a white shirt and black pants and a tie. It looked like it would fit but Alec took off his shirt and pants and slipped on the new outfit. 

He looked in the mirror and tucked his shirt in making a great effort to keep his hands from shaking. He was getting married to a man. He gelled his hair and looked at his reflection. He looked like all the grooms that he's seen at boring weddings that he and his siblings would talk in whispers and make fun of things. 

He loved his brothers and sister more than anything and he would do this for them.  He snapped out of his daze when a knock came at the door, before he can say come in the door opens

"Alec." His father walked in and sat in Alec's desk chair. "You have to understand things were different back then."

"I understand," Alec sat down on his bed. 

"Good. Now you have to understand that warlock might kill you," Robert reached into his pocket and took out a test tube that had a hardly visible white liquid. "You must be prepared to kill it."

"I can't poison him," Alec whispered. 

"You won't get caught it will all look like a disease." Father handed him the vile and Alec almost threw it across the room. " _Focus, I  will tell you when to use it. You will not tell a soul. You will not destroy it."_

Alec had to obey he hardly thought of it as he pocketed the test-tube. He has to do it. He wants that ringing noise to stop. 

_"Good work."_

The ringing stopped. Alec was horrified at the poison but understood where his Father was coming from he had to listen to his orders.

 

 

  


	2. Igne natura renovatur integra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title is Latin means Through fire, nature is reborn whole.

 

_ He hates his skin  _

_ He hates this skin _

_ He hates his father _

_ His  mother loves him in her own way  _

_ He knows his duty  _

_ He has his fuel. _

* * *

Alec paced nervously, his heart hammered in his chest. His mind going in circles, feelings of betrayal, to knowing he has to do this, to wondering if this marriage will end in murder.

He sat and stood and walked around—not being able to please his nervous energy—he moved around and opened a book put it down unable to focus on the words. 

He gave up on hiding in his room taking to walking the well worn planks of wood to the training room.   

The training room is a huge room, walls lined with whips bows, arrows, staff, and  seraph blade just to name a few. The room itself had dark wood walls and a matching ceiling. The back wall had huge windows giving view to the countryside and the City of Glass and its beauty hung in the backdrop. 

Alec took a station in front of a punching bag—carving a strength rune—ran his unbanded fists into the bag. 

He pushed himself as his knuckles bled and changed out bags as they split. His hands ache but he keeps going.

The cool breeze hits his skin but he doesn't care. He doesn’t care about the guests that are arriving. He doesn’t care about Magnus looking at him like _ that _ . He only thinks of pounding the bag. 

He punches until all he can hear is his breathing and all he can see is the red leather. He wants to lie down or at least stop. He doesn’t listen to that voice he keeps going, skin keeps splitting, muscles straining. 

He stops Jace needs him. He can feel though his  _ parabatai  _ bond that Jace fighting. He grabs his bow and arrows and takes off letting the parabatai bond lead him. It’s only on dangerous hunts when they are split up that they let the bond flow like this. Knowing of the others  feelings and a sense of the others movements. At first, this was overwhelming but now it was kept at bay. 

Its a two way street and Jace has opened it for him. Alec opens his end, running down the halls to the—living room— he activates a _ stamina  _ rune and makes sure Jace get some of it. 

The living room has a  _ forsaken warrior   _ in it.  The Shadowhunters here for the wedding are drawing weapons from their hidden spots . Jace brings his seraph blade in an arch though the  _ forsaken _ but the warrior doesn’t die from the holy addams. Dark ichor drips from Jace’s blade but the  _ forsaken  _ doesn’t seem concerned with the gaping hole is his chest. 

Alec is lining up an arrow on instinct aiming for its arm that is clinging to Jace its nails drawing blood. Alec fires and the  _ forsaken  _ doesn’t react. 

Addams blades strike it Clave members knives and seraph blades bring it down but it doesn’t stop. 

Isabelle’s whip curls around its neck and the forsaken falls down blood spilling from all sides and now on the ground, it lets out a strangled noise as the electrum burns—with help of a Clave member the head comes off. The body’s arm keeps clawing at the air until it finally slumps to the ground. 

It all happened so fast Alec still is standing in the doorway. Alec feels Jace’s pain the  _ forsaken _ had got him on the arm with its claws. 

Alec rushed forward to Jace taking his stele out and grabbing Jace’s arm. The skin is turning a deep shade of purple from an infection. Jace’s jaw is clenched in pain as the claw marks bleed and his skin deteriorates.  

Alec carves an  _ iratze _ on above the mark and a  _ amissio _ for blood loss. Jace’s face shows his relief and Alec feels him healing.

Jace takes a few deep breaths as the pain eases his blonde hair falls in his face and Alec sees that it too is stained with blood. 

Alec hears the sounds of heels and dress shoes clicking on the marble floors. He knows those foot falls. 

Mother and Father enter the destroyed room, an eerie silence claims the room. Everyone is waiting for another threat and not letting themselves feel a sense of victory. The smell of charred flesh and blood fills the air.

A surprised noise comes from both of them and Alec doesn’t look away from Jace the poison burned through his skin a few moments ago. He was still feeling the aftershocks and pain as his skin heals back.

Jace’s arm wasn’t healing fast enough for Alec’s liking. Thankfully the blood slowed as the  _ amissio  _ rune did its job. The five nail marks don’t seem to be healing. 

“Isabelle why isn’t it healing?” 

Her head snapped from Jace to Alec. “It’s some acidic poison I don’t recognize. It’s not the usual acid that goes away once a rune is carved. It’s much stronger.”

Jace withers in pain as Isabelle takes his arm. 

“Sorry,” she said as she forced him to bend and straighten his arm. “The contaminated area is spreading.” 

“The rune should stop it,” Jace whispered his voice not hiding how much pain he’s in.

“It is doing as much as it can,” Isabelle muttered solemnly. “The toxin is beyond a  _ iratze.”  _

Alec gave Jace strength though the bond. Jace reached out with his injured arm the hand finding Alec’s hand.

The touch amplified the strength sharing the parabatai rune glowed and so did the point of contact.  

The members from the Clave stood up leaving the siblings on the ground. “He needs to go to the City of Bones,” one said. 

Alec and Jace shared a breath and stood. “How did it get in here.” Jace said.

“We'll find out soon,” Alec said before anyone else he knew the question was coming, the bond flowing connecting them deeply as their strength is multiplied and focused on Jace. 

“I’m gonna kill whoever did this,” Isabelle promised standing her red dress splattered with wet bood. 

“Get in line.” Alec’s exhausted voice rung out, he only ran as faster then he ever has and shot an arrow but all the energy was going into Jace.  

Jace rested a droopy head on his shoulder his face was hot—his body was burning up his skin hot to the touch. 

Alec changed positions so that Jace’s arm was around his shoulders and Alec wrapped an arm around Jace’s waist. 

Alec looked over at Jace’s arm it looked was still bleeding slowly and looked like someone was burning it with fire. Then as Jace and Alec stood in the doorway a man came into view. 

Alec reached for a weapon but the man came into view.

Magnus Bane dressed in a dark maroon suit jacket and a black undershirt that a few necklaces covered.  

“Alexander,” his eyes took in the sceen. “Set him on the couch.”

“He needs to—” 

“You don’t have time,” Magnus firm but gentle voice comfortred Alec a little.

Alec nodded and backed up and did as Magnus said. Clave members voices their disagreements but Alec hardly heard them. 

Magnus held his hand out over Jace’s arm and on his shoulder. Blue magic covered his arm and Jace’s drooping eyes shot open. 

Alec squeezed his hand and saw the scratches mend themselves  but his arm was still black as if it had been burt.

Magnus moved his hands positioning one on Jace’s head the other at his stomach. Alec saw Magnus take a deep breath then a shell of blue encased Jace’s body. 

“He’s stable,” Magnus said. “He’ll need an antidote.” 

“What was that,” Mother demanded her tone threatening. 

Magnus stood up meeting her strong gaze with a look of his own. “A poison that can can kill from a scratch.” Magnus looked at Jace. “From the depths of Edom.” 

“The antidote?” Inquisitor Herondale said, her scratchy voice had some concern in it.

“Is hard to make,” Magnus answered not looking from Mother. “It’s designed to withstand holy marks. This is very dark, very ancient magic.” 

“Can you make fix him?” Alec asked, he knew there was panic in his voice but he didn't care.

“Yes.” Magnus looked at him. “We need to move quickly my magnic can only hold him for so long.” 

How long?” Alec asked. Desperate and still giving Jace strength. 

“As long as I can.” Magnus’ eyes scanned him then flicked to Jace. “Parabatai?”

“Yes.” Alec knew he saw the twin glowing runes on their stomachs.

“Keep giving him strength.” Magnus turned and gave orders to the Shadowhunters. Alec hardly listens only catching  _ to unstable to move  _ and  _ Caterina Loss  _

Magnus locks eyes with him. “Stay here with him.” 

Alec nods he can do that. Magnus takes a knee and more magic comes out and seeps into the cocoon that Jace rests in. 

“Thank you.” Alec said as people leave to help collect ingredients Isabelle leading the march. 

“Your lucky I was here.” Mangus’ face looked magical in the blue light. “And your welcome.”

Alec huffed out a laugh, still terribly worried Magnus must’ve have seen this. 

“I’ll do what I can.”

“I can feel his pain,” Alec brought a hand to rest on the rune. “It was terrible. it still is bad, but not like it was.” 

“What did it feel like?” Magnus sounded interested and Alec notices upclose how his eyes seem to shine and look like swirling bowls of honey reflected over diamonds.  

“Like my—his—skin was being overtaken by tar.” 

“Intesting.” Magnus said not looking away from Alec as another burst of magic escaped his hands. Magnus’ eyes flicked like a light. Amber with a slits for a second. So fast Alec thinks he might have imagined it. 

“How did the  _ forsaken warrior _ get in?” 

Alec had forgotten that. “I don’t know.” 

Magnus’ expression softened then he turned to Jace. “It is impossible to get into Idris without an invitation. Be prepared for more.” 

“If someone managed to get past the wards—” Alec said.

_ “ _ But who?" Magnus asked and the light flickered.

Alec ran a hand through his hair and slumped against the couch. “It has to me controlled by a greater demon. It was clearly sent here to kill—”

“Who would be worth all this work?"

Alec closed his eyes. "I wish I knew."

"At least the wedding is called off." Magnus smiled.

Alec found himself laughing a little. "I guess that's some good news." 

Magnus just shrugs, "some would kill for the honor of marrying me."

"Have you ever been..." Alec gestures. 

"Married," Magnus supplies. "No." 

"Why not?" Alec thinks it difficult to imagine that someone as handsome as Magnus has never been married.  

"It just never worked out." Magnus' voice was tense.

Alec took the hint and dropped it running a tired hand through his hair.

"Where did those come from?" Mangus was looking at his hands. His battered hands. 

"I was...um. they're not from the _forsaken_ so I don't need any—"

"I know it's not." Magnus took his hand. "Of you would be dead. Or close to death." 

"I was training." Alec felt the skin knit itself back together and the feeling of magic on his own skin. It prickled but in a good way, the tingling sensation lingered for a second. 

"You should wrap your hands," Magnus took his other hand. 

"It's fine. I just needed something to punch."

"Don't we all," Mangus said sounding wistful.  

Alec just gave a small nod. "What do we do?" 

"We wait." 

"You're not bad," Alec said out of nowhere before his brain could catch up. "I was um told that Downworlder's are um —" 

"Evil creatures that operate on vengeance, greed, and lust,"  Magnus said in a self-deprecating way. 

"Ya," Alec said lamely. 

"We are what we're made." 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Roll credits lol I'm not done yet. Sorry, this took so long, the inclusion chapter is why I needed to rewrite the Sins (we do as we're told). Also the I just guessing on the chapter count.


	3. Oderint dum metuant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the feedback. I am so glad you guys are liking it. Also, Oderint dum metuant: let them hate, so long as they fear.       

“We are what we’re made,” Magnus said cryptically.

“Are warlocks always this cryptic?” Alec asked. 

Magnus stared at him for a second. “I’m not being cryptic. I’m being coy.” 

Alec didn’t know what to say, so he kept quiet. Magnus summoned supplies from his loft to start the antidote.

Alec still sat on the floor his  _ parabatai  _ mark burning. Feeling useless as Isabelle and her friends are finding ingredients and Clave members are talking loudly in the other room. 

“It’s no secret he hates the Lightwoods.” A male voice said from the other room. 

“And he could’ve snuck it in here when we let him through our wards,” Father said.  

Alec didn’t think Magnus did this, he saved Jace’s life. Why would he send an attack then save the victim? He could’ve easily acted as if he didn’t know what was happening.  

His parents would call him naive, maybe he was, but Magnus didn’t do this.  Alec trusts him. Maybe not like he trusts Jace and Isabelle but he trusts Magnus. He’s not sure why? 

He just does, it’s an instinctive feeling, rooted deep in his gut. Alec leans his head back against the couch as Jace squirms. 

Alec stands up and holds him down as he thrashes and cries out—for a few moments he struggles than his eyes lock with Alec’s and he can see he still not himself. 

Alec holds him down and Jace screams and Alec knows it does not come from the withering arm—Jace is deep in his own head. Jace gets knocked out many times and every time he tells Alec he has terrible nightmares and he sees things so vividly he forgets he safe. 

He doesn’t say anything to Jace as his screams turn to small whines, he only tries to calm him down through their bond. Jace goes silent and Alec can feel the tremors under his grasp.  

Jace slumps, boneless, silent and relaxes. Alec lets out a breath and removes his hands to reveal red marks left behind. 

“He’s going to crash soon text your sister.” 

Alec takes out his phone and text Isabelle asking where she is, a phone vibrates at the same time and Alec is already grabbing his jacket.  

“Alexander,” Magnus calls out. “I do need an extra set of hands.” 

“I need to—” Alec looks around his eyes focusing on Jace. He sends a prayer to every angel every saint he knows.  

“Stay here and hold down the fort. Now take the… 

****

* * *

****

After thirty agonizing minutes, Isabelle is back and she found everything. Magnus adds the ingredients to his pot. 

As they are waiting for it to be done Jace starts choking, the magic can only hold the poison off for so long. 

Magnus is using so much magic on Jace the light flicker. Magnus is barking orders at Isabelle to finish the antidote. Alec feels Jace fighting death. He feels him losing.  Magnus’ magic is losing. 

“He’s dying.” 

“I know, my magic is weakened.” Magnus’ removes one hand from over Jace, “I need your strength.” Magnus holds out a hand, the rings gleaming in the light of the magic.

Alec looks at Jace and grasps Magnus hand before anything can tell him not to. He hardly feels the rings and Magnus’ soft hands. He’s shared strength before with Jace but never like this, he felt so much power. Magnus kept his gaze for a moment more and Alec gave a small nod before they both turned to Jace. 

Magic poured through him, like a hurricane, a wave of water, a strong wind hitting him. His very being was being centered by the magic it felt as if the power was holding him together and tearing him apart.   

Isabelle rushed over and poured the potion down Jace’s throat as he and Magnus poured magic into Jace 

Jace sat up his eyes—with life in them—took in the room and went to his arm that had a nasty scarring on it. 

Alec was running out of energy so when Magnus let go of his hand he fell against the floor and he saw Magnus slump forward. The four of them were all out of breath and Alec saw Isabelle hug Jace pulling him to her chest and holding him. 

Alec felt a hand on his arm, Jace’s hand nudging him into a hug as Isabelle climbed over the back of the couch. 

Alec pulled back and saw Magnus had moved over to the kitchen giving them some time alone. Jace laughed for some reason and he and  Isabelle joined in. 

“You two okay?” Jace asked and rested his head on Alec’s shoulder still leaning into Isabelle. 

“Ya Jace we’re fine,” Alec said closing his eyes. “Don’t do that again, Jace. I mean it.” 

“There go my plans for next week." Jace sat up fully and sighed. “That was exhausting.” 

Isabelle and he shared a look, that said _ me too.  _ Alec stood up because things needed to be done, they always do. 

“Jace got to your room and rest,” Alec held out a hand to help Jace up. “Isabelle help him and then go and investigate the  _ forsaken warrior _ . 

To his surprise, Jace got up and Isabelle nodded at him and Alec thanked Raziel.

He went to the kitchen for a towel to saw Magnus sipping wine leaning against the wall watching him with curiously. 

“Thank you,” Alec opened the drawer pulled out a white towel with blue stripes and ran water over it. 

“Your welcome, Alexander,” Magnus snapped his fingers and a wine glass appeared in his other hand. “Drinks?” 

Alec dropped the towel and turned to faucet off. Not bothering to keep the concern out of his voice, “Should you really use magic after that.” 

“Careful Alexander,” Magnus drew himself to his full height and his eyes flickered again, a flash of amber no doubt his warlock mark. “Someone might think you care.” 

“You saved my parabatai’s life,” Alec put the glass down turning to face Magnus trying to get him to understand how much that means to Alec. “That deserves thanks at least” 

Magnus’ eyes stayed on the wine glass Alec put on the counter. “You’re right,” he said. “We need something stronger.,” he snapped again and a white liquid too much like the one that rested in his pocket, filled the glasses Alec picked up the glass hesitantly, but he could really go for a drink.

Magnus held his glass out for a toast. “To us.” 

Their glasses clinked. “To us,” Alec echoed and took a sip, the alcohol burned his tongue and made him scrunch his face up. 

“Do you have any idea how that thing got in here?” Alec asked. 

Magnus turned his back to Alec looking out the kitchen window the beautiful towers of glass that gave the city its nickname. 

“I had no part in it, despite what the people in the other room are saying,” Magnus said his voice sounded as if he’s had this conversation a million times. 

“I believe you,” Alec said. 

Magnus turned around his eyes darting to Alec. “Do you.” 

“Yes, like I said you saved Jace.” 

“Your not like most Shadowhunters,” Magnus said like a scientist making an observation. 

“What do you mean by that,” Alec’s voice was harsh but he’s been hiding this since he figured it out. 

“You shared your strength, with a warlock.” 

“I’ve shared my strength before I know what it's like,” Alec tried not to remember how the power felt, how Magnus’ hand felt locked against him. “I knew that I could stop anytime.” 

The corners of Magnus’ mouth turned up in a smile, not one of joy but of amusement, what for? Alec didn’t know. “Still some wouldn't even dare touch demon scum.” 

Alec frowned and took another sip, so he wasn’t just standing there awkwardly. “What do I owe you?” 

“Not sure,” Magnus’ finger traced his rings absently in thought. “With all things taken into account. I’ll bill the Clave.” Magnus’s eyes glimmered. “Nothing from your pocket, pretty boy.” 

Alec just nodded, and picked his towel out of the sink and wet it again. He set his glass down and squeezed the excess water out of the towel. 

“I have to clean up the couch,” Alec said to Magnus and left the room before he could say anything else.  

Alec closed the door out of habit and leaned against it. What was he doing? Magnus made him feel like he was in a hurricane, being swept by winds and pouring rain soaking him. he made Alec feel like a he’s in a field with wildflowers and overgrown grass as far as the eye can see. 

Around Magnus he had no protocol, he had no idea what to do. 

He cleans the blood off the couch and wipes the towel over his bloody jeans but it doesn’t do much. He realized how bad he must look.  

He cleans and rids up some more instead of changing. He does care about his looks. He just needs to do something. Something that makes his mind quiet. 

He feels Jace though the bond, he’s okay. That feeling is what keeps him going. 

* * *

The next day Alec finds Isabelle in the lab. She had her black hair tied up in a messy bun and wore a black shirt with a V neck and black ripped jeans. Isabelle had a large cup of coffee on the table and was typing away at a computer. 

The  _ forsaken warrior  _ lay on an examination table and Alec figured it was once a  young and she. Going by her features and the unmistakable swell of her chest.

“She was no more than seventeen,” Isabelle looked up, her black eyes lined with dark makeup meeting his. “There are signs of torture. And angelic properties in her DNA” 

Alec furrowed his brows and looked back at the girl. “How.”

“She drank from the mortal cup.”

* * *

To be continued...

 


	4. concordia salus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a story about discrimination and a terrible hate crime just happened this morning and maybe more than eight people are dead and may more hurt the title is a Latin quote means salvation through harmony. 
> 
> Minor updates to this chapter as of 12/7/18 on grammar and wording

“She drank from the Mortal Cup.”

Alec shook his head. “No, the Mortal Cup is in Idris,” he said. “The conspiracy theories are bullshit.”

Isabelle raised an eyebrow. “They why hasn’t the Clave used it?” She asked slowly, stressing every word.

Aa long as Alec can remember there hasn’t been an ascended, but Father said that mundanes are getting weaker and cannot survive to drink anymore.

“Because,” he said slowly, “the Clave doesn’t lie.” Alec didn’t need to look up to see his sister roll her eyes and he heard her sigh. 

The body laid out on the table had advanced runes an eraties was carved on her face, the blanket term for it was mental excellence. It brought the enlightenment rune to shame, it meant that the wearer could remember everything you have ever seen, heard, smelled and felt. If you had it you could process new information faster—turning yourself into a supercomputer—-and legend says it can connect the Nephilim directly to Raziel and God. 

The rune was an oval shape with crisscrossing lines inside the oval, it covered from under her eye to her jaw. Size has no effect on power and runes, and runes this powerful are painful to put on and this one was infamous for turning the user insane. An eraties was only to be used in the direst situations and since it was permanent most poured acid on the rune to get rid of it. The only ones strong enough to bear the rune full time was the Silent Brothers and Iron Sisters.

Isabelle picked up the Jane Doe’s hand, her hand looked like it had been dipped in tar, the burns covering her entire hand except for her fingertips that had held the poison and now up close looked like claws out of a demonology textbook. 

“How did this happen?” Alec asked. The more he looked at her the more terrible body modifications he saw. 

“I don’t know,” Isabelle looked up and took the pen from where it was tucked behind her ear. “Even if she drank from the Mortal Cup and it turned her to a forsaken, that still doesn’t explain it.” Isabelle pointed her pen at the girls face. “How— “ Isabelle swirled her pen around, “she got through the wards.”  
Alec knew Isabelle was just spitballing and wondering aloud but he still shrugged.

“I might know how to figure that out,” Magnus said as he came around the corner, dressed in a dark coat buttoned up to his collar and tight black pants to match. Around his neck hung a circular pendant and his hands were covered in rings, emerald, and diamond on golden and silver bands. To complete the look his hair was free of any highlights and was spiked up in it natural black glory.

The air seemed to shift and Alec clothes felt small and suffocating and ants crawled up his back tingling the skin. Magnus seemed to emit power, he stood tall and confident, fully aware that he was the most powerful person in the room and could kill them all with a flick of his ruby wearing finger.

He was warned as a kid that downworlders used their looks, like a venus fly trap to lure in their bait with exactly what they want then they strike, they use lust and manipulation. They trick you into thinking they’re what you need then get you to do anything they want.

They would make you think you in love and just use you for a one night stand. 

“ Mr. Bane,” Isabelle greeted, she held her hand out for him to shake. “It's pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleasure to work with you, Miss. Lightwood,” Magnus shook her hand.

He moved gracefully through the room, like a cat, a snake, and just as dangerous as both. Magnus’ hands sparked, the blue wisps growing stronger until they glowed as strong as a witchlight. Magnus moved his hands up and down the body, then like a hurricane, around and around, the blue magic stayed in place. It swirled like a whirlpool and at the eye of the storm the magic turned black. It seemed like two dark tentacles were circling each other. 

Magnus crossed his arms, forming an X then he shot them straight out and the mesmerizing magic disappeared, flying apart from each other, the atoms spitting and it faded like dust, into nothing.  
He looked over at Isabelle. She looked as amazed as he did. 

“Got anything?” Isabelle asked, already grabbing her laptop and retaking her seat. 

“Enough,” Magus said vaguely. “I didn't get anything, but that’s the answer,” Magnus had told him he was being coy, not cryptic but that sounded like a riddle. 

Isabelle clicked her pen, looking down at her handwritten notes balanced on top of her laptop. “Explain.”

“Idris only opens the wards when they are expecting something dead and otherwise they are impenetrable, to magic.” Magus looks at him and Alec’s breath caught in his throat. “Even if something could fashion a portal through the wards, they have sensors.”

“No,” Alec said, his mind running like he has an eraties, it can’t be. 

“It's the only way,” Magnus said, his tone held no emotion.  
“We don't have evidence,” Alec curled his hands into fists. He was known for being stubborn and he wasn't just going to whisper about moles in the Clave. He was of the Clave and he had to serve and defend them in every way. His father's poison rested heavily in his pocket, but that was just insurance if Manus decided he wanted to kill the Lightwood heir.

“If you want me to investigate more I expect payment, pretty boy,” Magus snapped his fingers. A blue spark flickering like he had hidden a lighter in his palm.

Alec felt magic on his palm, A slip of white paper appeared in Alec’s fist, the part sticking out had numbers on it and Alec didn’t know what to do. He has never been given someone’s number. He’s never been called pretty boy, its always been Jace and Isabelle getting flirted with and slipped numbers. 

Magnus rolled his eyes. “ if you want to check that no one forced their way through the wars then we should visit Baba Agnieszka.” 

Alec knew that name; Baba Agnieszka helps strengthen the wards and keep mundanes form knowing what Idris really is. She told the Nephilim a long time ago that the reason she has stayed for so long is that Raziel gave this task to her. She was one of the only warlocks to ever live in Idris.

She has always been an interesting part of history class, Alec had researched her on a boring day and the most interesting piece of information was that she claimed to know where the Mortal Mirror is and secrets about the Mortal Instruments. She also has refused to tell any Shadowhunter, saying over and over again that we only have to open our minds. 

Alec slipped the number in his pocket. “We can’t just knock on her door,” Alec started to walk out when he felt a hand on his chest. It was Mangus looking right at him and Alec felt like his very soul was being gazed upon. His heart beat rapidly under Mangus’ hand. The words he was going to say died in his throat as did his breath. 

“Giving up easily, Alexander,” Magnus’ breath tickled the skin on Alec’s neck. “I need to work with Shadowhunters I can bear.” 

“You don’t have to come,” Alec said, forgetting he said he wasn’t going momentarily. 

Magnus threw his head back and laughed, the sound was rich and fake. Alec saw the lines of his throat better from this angle, not that he was looking. “You little angels don’t have a clue about magic,” Magnus said, his laughter stopping, to be replaced with a strong tone that Alec wouldn't dare go against. “Or how to deal with a faded warlock.” 

“We need to ask the Clave,” Isabelle said putting her laptop and notebooks aways. Alec had almost forgotten she was there, the heat of Magnus’ hands distracting even if it wasn’t clasped in his and glowing with magic

Isabelle got up wordlessly and went to call a Clave representative. She left Alec and his fiance alone. “Magnus—” 

“Alexander,” Magus was gazing up at him but even if he was smaller he still held all the power, the hand over his heart wasn’t a threat but it could be. It was same as Alec always standing at the ready, he never relaxed, always ready to fight. 

“Has someone from the Clave tried to kill you before?” Alec asked. 

Magnus dropped his hand, his expression stone, and body tense. Magnus stepped back and rested his hand on the examination table. “Sometimes I forget the Nephilim would rather hide their history than learn from it.” 

“The Circle wasn’t the clave,” Alec said, he clasped his hands behind his back. The Clave shouldn’t be held accountable for what a radical group did. 

Magnus laughed but there was no humor in it. “The Clave used to hunt the downworld all the same, kill us claiming to be serving heaven.” 

Alec opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. “I—I—-never heard— I didn’t—-didn’t know.”

“I know, Alexander,” Magnus said with heartbreaking sadness. “I know.” He sounded so used to this and that made all the worse. Alec has always only been a soldier, never running the Clave, he wasn’t even born back then. He was still apart of it, he didn’t recognize it and he has a bottle of poison in his pocket that says he doesn’t trust the Downword. 

“I’m sorry,” he sounds so stupid and he knows that it won’t make up for anything, he still has kept his mouth shut when Downworders are called ‘it’ and treated unfairly. 

Mangus turned his head away. “Then do something about it,” he said quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if the end is a little off from the chapter I wrote it to the new of the Squrriel Hill shooting a Jewish Synagogue, it was a hate crime and I live only forty minutes from Squirrel Hill. I needed to write something about discrimination and please I’m too young to vote but please do vote in the midterms this happens way too often and something has to change. You have to stand up for what you believe in and if you do nothing nothing will change. 
> 
> Notes for the rest of the story. Updates are so scattered because I have another fic going and I am planning another fic (great idea right), it will be a Clizzy mermaid AU with some twists I have to figure out. 
> 
> Eraties is a Sins! rune I made up, and it is a sort of fusion between a few runes. 
> 
> If all goes well this will be a whole universe and have around three parts. It will be mainly from Alec’s POV but there will be interludes from other characters POV and side plots. 
> 
> Also, I feel like I should mention the arranged wedding isn’t the only difference, This is a book and TV show fusion and its own universe with new and changed elements that will be explained as they come to avoid confusion
> 
> Baba Agnieszka was one of the warlocks who was alive before Jonathan Shadowhunter. She has lived in Idris since the 1400’s and no one has seen or talked to her in years. It is said that she has been deteriorating mentally, the extent of her age caught up with her. She is considered a holy relic. She was mentioned in the Shadowhunter Codex which is apart of the Shadowhunter Chronicles books series.
> 
> Faded warlocks are when warlocks grow bored or unsurprised by life and stop looking forward to their years ahead when the weight of their long lives settle on them, they may begin to lose their minds, and/or stop feeling and living in all other essences of the word except literally.


	5. Omnium Rerum Principia Parva Sunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm alive and sorry for the wait and all the comments/kudos are appreciated but Malec Wedding bells are ringing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omnium Rerum Principia Parva Sunt – 'The beginnings of all things are small.'

Alec ran his hands over the white suit, as he stood in the wedding hall, the request to see Baba Agnieszka has been put under review and the Clave and Downworld leaders had both ordered the wedding to happen immediately to keep a semblance of peace.

Alec stood on the altar and looked over at strange Silent Brother, he was wearing the dark robes Silent Brothers always wore, but the strange sight wasn’t the dirty looking robes it was his face. Dark eyes were looking at him, his lips were parted, he looked closer to a human than any Brother Alec had ever seen.

 _“Calm yourself Alexander Lightwood, I am only apart of the Brotherhood temporarily. I have been requested personally.”_ The voice echoed in his head and Alec looked over at everyone else, Magnus was there greeting guests, in a black suit jacket with faint a red design spiraling around the black, like flowers blooming in the night. His hair was combed up and the tips dyed red, the low hum of conversation filled the air. _“I speak only in your mind, Alexander.”_

Alec nodding his eyes still on Magnus as he hugged a woman, who’s black skin was adorned with silver chains over her shoulders serving as shoulders to her deep form-fitting blue dress that faded to black. Her hair was done in many tiny braids, then came together to form spirals with silver chains woven in the spiral and those spirals formed into braids that went into one braid that hung low on her back.

His eyes though only stayed on her for a flash then they were back on Mangus, who seemed to draw attention by just standing there. His head held high and aura of confidence surrounding him, his makeup highlighting his deep brown eyes that held a sharpness to them, and the light shimmered over his high cheekbones and sharp jaw

 _“Magnus Bane requested my presence at his wedding.”_ The Silent Brother said. Alec had almost forgotten him standing there and turned to look at him and the carved angels and flaming torches that were carved into the walls behind him. The Silent Brother watched Magnus with an odd expression on his face. _“I am Brother Zachariah.”_

“Do you know him?” Alec was looking at the side of the Silent Brother’s head as the Brother watched Magnus. “

_“Yes, Magnus Bane is no monster.”_

“Thank you,” Alec resumed his diplomacy despite the strange answer that made the vial in his pocket feel like lead, “For doing this.”

 _“ _B_ e good to Magnus, and he will be good to you. He deserves happiness.”_ The Silent Brother turned to face him as the words reached the inside of Alec’s head. “ _This is not a death sentence, not the end of your journey. A different road then you expected but still a road ahead of you. Be thankful, Lightwood. Magnus only holds just grudges and knows better than anyone we are not our parents.”_

Alec watched as his parents shook hands with Clave officials, all tight smiles on their face and wary glances at the Downworlders. “I am grateful it's me, not my sister, she will have an easier life,” Alec said barely above a whisper. “I know I’m lucky to have even lived this long.”

_“Indeed, but longevity is as much a curse as any, I see how captivated you are by him. He has walls around his heart for good reasons. Don’t force him, be patient he’s been hurt.”_

Alec narrowed his eyes. “I don’t—” He started 

_“You do, I don’t judge. Love is love Lightwood, it knows no boundaries. It has no prejudices, I truly believe that.”_

“I am to keep this professional.” Ale didn’t feel that sense of clarity he usually feels when he reminds himself of orders. “It’s as political as most Shadowhunter weddings.” He didn’t bother keeping the bite from his voice

_“This is still a sacred promise to the angel serve him.”_

“It’s still the end of the Lightwood name, I cannot claim a wife, any children its—”

_“Would you really want a wife, I see your eyes only on him.”_

Alec pushed the surge of emotion he felt down, like a good little boy, a voice that wasn’t a Silent Brothers sneered in his head. “Stop making ridiculous accusations.,” Alec sneered, barely keeping from raising his voice.

_“Don’t run away from your problems, they will catch you and will be stronger than before and you’ll be weaker.”_

That was good advice but Alec couldn’t follow it, maybe I’ll die before they catch me he thought. “I will never be weak,” he said the words of his father. They tasted as bitter as ever.

_"That’s not what you should take from that. Even the smallest of weights can be unbearable when you hold them up long enough."_

“I don’t need life advice,” Alec sneered.

_“Everyone needs life advice. No one has it all figured out.”_

Father walked up, “When will the ceremony commence.” he asked rudely. “It’s past four-thirty.” He didn’t hear Brother Zachariah’s response that was only directed to his father. He nodded and went to sit down.

 _"It is time for the ceremony to begin"_ Brother Zachariah’s voice echoed through all of their minds. He and Magnus stood on the altar everyone looking at them, family, family friends, members of the clave, and members of the warlock community filled the seats. He was thankful for Brother Zachariah's distraction earlier.

Focus his father’s voice commanded in his head, so different than the Silent Brother’s. He put the ring on Magnus’ finger, Magnus put the cuff on his wrist. Magnus kept eye contact, his eyes reassuring and almost made him forget about the crowd of people watching.

_“Rune on the hand, a rune on the heart a union is born.”_

Magnus took the stele and drew the elegant wedding rune on his hand. There was no best man no family on the altar so he looked down at his siblings they smiled and nodded at him. Alec and Magnus turned and faced the crowd his father gave him a curt nod. Words he’s hardly ever heard come from his father, sounded in his head. _Good job, Alec._ father’s voice said.

“Good job, Alexander,” Magnus said to him as they walked down the aisle and into a more private room for porting to Magnus’ home. A clave supervisor watched as the wards opened. Magnus opened a portal and held out his hand, Alec held it and walked through the swirling blue magic.

“Where is this?” Alec asked as they appeared in a room with couches and shelves lining the walls pictures hanging and doors to many other rooms. Windows to a balcony with a spectacular view of a city. He let go of Magnus’ hand quickly avoiding this gaze.

“Dead center of Manhattan.” Magnus poured himself a drink. “Want one?”

“Um no,” Alec sat down on the couch looking around taking in the loft.

Magnus seethed on the couch, watching Alec over his pink sparkling drink, the new silver wedding band on his finger, a sharp contrast to the bright red and orange gem embedded in the ring he wore on his middle finger, it seemed to glow like magic, and the light made it look like it was moving, flowing like waves crashing into each other.

Alec sat down on the chair beside Magnus. His fingers touching the wedded rune that was now on his hand. He took a

“What happens now?” Alec asked not bothering to hide his general confusion over this entire situation.

“A honeymoon,” Magnus said, teasing, taking a sip from his drink and licking his lips as he finished. “We go back to our work.” Magnus was more serious this time.

 Alec nodded, not looking at Magnus anymore because he shouldn’t be, his heart shouldn’t be beating this fast, his eyes shouldn’t linger on a Downworlder, a man.

Alec’s phone buzzed, he thanked the angel for the distraction.

 _Isabelle:_ _Vampire attack, in ny, 1 hunter dead, 1 injured possibly turned. Me and Jace getting transported._

Alec looked over at Magnus, “There’s been a vampire attack in New York,” Alec said, already getting up and battle ready.

Magnus’ face was unreadable, a mask of porcelain that looked just as fragile. “You are going to meet with the _Seelie Queen_ tomorrow,” Mangus said.

Alec gulped. “So?”

“I don’t care where you go unless a downworld leader requests your presence.”

“Really?”

“Goodbye Alexander.” Magnus disappeared down the hall and snapped his fingers and the lights went out.

Alec stood there for a second longer not sure why he wants to reach out. He shakes his head starts to make his way to to the institute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole sacred promise to the angel to serve is true in the Sins!verse shadowhunters weddings are a bit different its a promise to the angel to serve your spouse and their family with your all honor. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and don't forget to subscribe to PewDiePie to support original content


	6. Vivamus, Moriendum Est

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellllo, sorry for the long wait but mental health is important too and so is good grades.  
> Vivamus, Moriendum Est – ‘Let us live, since we must die.’ so take with that what you will  
> WARNING: BLOOD AND GORE.

Alec walked in the New York Institute, it was buzzing with activity. People over screens and looking at monitors, a map of New York a hologram in front of a Shadowhunter who's brows were furrowed. Nearly everyone was in gear.

No one said a word to Alec until Jace and Isabelle walked into the room. Isabelle in her custom gear, made for flexibility and speed, much like Jace's. She wore a white lab coat over her gear and it was stained with blood.

“Alec,” she said, she picked up a loose tablet from a table. “Jamin Ashdown is dead, his fiancee Abigail Nightshade has been infected with enough venom to be in a fledgling state,” she announced to the room.

The man looked up from the hologram of New York. He had dark skin and a small scruffy beard, and sharp features. He wore a black suit that contrasted his bright red tie.

He squared his shoulders back. “Contact her next of kin,” he said. “And if I'm not mistaken your Miss. Isabelle Lightwood.”

“I am,” she put a hand on Jace's arm and they shared a look.

“I'm Inquisitor Victor Aldertree, the new acting head of the New York Institute.”

Jace sidestepped  Alec we're shoulder to shoulder. “Robert has been promoted to the Council, as High Inquisitor.”

Alec nodded, he felt Jace through the bond, steaming anger and it mixed with Alec's so that both were fueled and ready. Hearts beating in sync.

“Sir. She had no next of kin, her family is all dead,”  said a tall, light-skinned, blonde woman, standing in front of a computer in a black pantsuit.

“Thank you Envoy Branwell,” Altertree said. “Any know acquaintances?”

“I'll check, Sir.”

“They'll kill her,” Isabelle said, horrified, but her face was drawn tight in a mask of indifference to others, but Alec knew it would break as easy as porcelain.

“There's nothing we can do,” Alec muttered. He turned away from all the glances that were being thrown his way. Right at his Parabatai too, who surely felt his discomfort and his sister who didn't need a bond to know.

“Do we have a suspect?” Altertree asked, his loud strong voice quieting the buzz of conversation.

There were murmurs from many, looking down at screens of at each other.

“No, Sir.” Envoy Branwell said. She turned her head to look at Alec and siblings. Her eyes lingered with a fierce stare, but she went back to her computer.

“What about Nightshade?” Isabelle asked, her tone cool and collected on the surface. “We can't kill her.”

“Some Shadowhunters would rather die than turn to demon scum,” A bulky man said, he had light skin and black hair, he was muscular, a force fighter. Over his collar was the _Parabatai_ mark, faded to gray, he looked around thirty, old for a hunter.

“It is murder to let her die, ” Isabelle countered, her hand curled into fists.

“Some of us don't mingle so closely to the downworld, ” he raised an eyebrow, his eyes down on her covered chest.

She smiled wickedly. “The intel I've gotten has saved lives.”

“Whatever,” the man waved her off. He turned to Altertree. “I say let her die with honor."

They were words of agreement, nods, and a few shouts. Alec tuned them out, he wondered what Magnus would say.

“That's not your call to make,” Altertree said. “We will bury her. She might have gotten a good look at her attacker.”

Isabelle turned on her heel. “I have work to do.”

* * *

 

The murder was still out there, Alec wanted to go find them but they had nothing to go on. He volunteered for the next patrol, not ready to go back to Magnus.

“So how's married life?” Jace asked as they walked down a dirty alleyway. A team of two was behind them, Lovelace and Bridgestock, but too far to hear Jace. “Hoge says congratulations.”

“Jace, ” Alec hissed, he was not in the mood.

“I found him in the greenhouse _thinking._ He claims to have had no idea about the wedding.”

“Jace.”

“I mean he obviously knew they were in the circle, but he was sworn to secrecy.”

Alec grabbed Jace's arm. “Stop.”

Jace cocked his head to the side. “Alec you can't keep me out forever. We’re parabatai, secrets never last.”

Alec thought of his huge secret but pushed it down.

Jace shook off his grip and started to walk forward. Alec fell into step with him, they didn't walk in sync, but when one lifted their foot off the ground the other stepped.

“He hasn't hurt you, right?” Jace asked. “Forced you to do anything.”

Alec turned the corner. “We were alone for five minutes.”

“Which is enough time.”

“He—” Alec searched for the word, Magnus was _so nice, understanding, not a monster._ “He is not that bad.”

“You do know he has quite the reputation, ” Jace teased.

“Yes, Jace,” Alec said, his voice tense and it takes everything he has not to yell for Jace to shut up.

“And you have never had sex, ” Jace didn't sound like he was teasing anymore. “Because you never let yourself have anything.”

“I couldn't,” Alec’s breath is visible in the cold weather Alec hardly feels. Alec knows where Jace is going. “He’s a man, it's wrong.”

“I’m not saying you should, you know, with him, ” Jace’s tone was gentle. He had no idea what he was talking about. “But—”

“Jace. Stop,” Alec said through gritted teeth.  

A loud crash echoed down the alley, Alec drew his bow and Jace his blade, the runes glowed as he held up, it was slightly jagged and of dark adamas, it had always been Jace’s favorite, it looks like silver but compared to pure adamas looks like tar, unlike the rarer pure unheated, unstretched, unpressured adamas that was like crystal, like shiny glass, like light bent to form a blade and the whole blade shone with a light, no runes were needed, only a Shadowhunter's hand, and the secrets of Iron Sisters.

Legend says if you call on an Angel it will shine brighter, kill better.

Alec had a light adamas knife in his boot. It’s ceremonial, they are trained with the weight and feel of dark adamas. He had never used it in battle. He has never given it a name.

The two Shadowhunters behind them draw their weapons too, Lovelace had kindjals, dual knives of dark adamas, they were the silvery dark adamas on a golden hilt, that was decorated with spread wings as the guard.

Bridgestock had a curved blade, dark adamas with a jeweled hilt, rubies on the black hilt and over the guard.

Alec and Jace lead the pack down the alley, a scream made them all speed up into a run.

Another scream sounded, it was high pitched and clearly from pain. Alec and Jace ran side by side.

“What the hell,” a voice said, it was panicked.

“My mom,” a girl said, I don’t know what she—mom,” she sounded on the verge of tears.

Alec turned the final corner,  to the side of an apartment building, on the sidewalk glass was scattered, a _Forsaken_ body in the glass a seraph blade through its gut. Alec and Jace shared a look, _Forsaken_ were rare and this was the second one in a few days.  

Laying next to the _forsaken_ was a woman, she had light skin and red hair, her head was cracked open, blood pouring out and bone sticking out, her eyes were still open. She had marks on her neck from the _forsaken’s_ nails. Around marks, on her neck, the skin was black, like it had been burnt. Like Jace’s arm. Her pants were ripped and in her leg was a demon stinger, the skin raised up and swollen, still new.

Collapsed on the ground by her was a girl, probably a teenager, she had white skin and red hair, like the women, her pale hands covered in blood, a boy, around the same age, he was lanky and had white skin too, but messy brown hair. He had his arms around her.  Both were crying.

“We have to call 911,” the boy said, his eyes on her cracked open head and the pool of blood.

The Shadowhunters moved out of the shadows, the girl looked up. “Please get help, please I can’t.”

Alec reeled back in surprise.

“You can see us?” Jace asked. He moved forward and examined the Forsaken. “It’s dead,” Jace confirmed.

“Who are you talking to?” the boy’s eyes were wide, looking for something he can’t see.

“Lovelace and Bridgestock go to scout the area for more,” Alec said, avoiding the girl with the _sight._ To Alec surprise, the men nodded and left without a sound.

“Please, mom,” the girl rambled on, sinking further into the boy’s embrace, her tears rolling off her face.

Alec has never been the best at dealing with people, something wasn’t adding up, the _forsaken_ was killed by a shadowhunter, where was the hunter. Why would a Forsaken attack a random mundane home, it had to have been inside going by the broken window.

Jace undid his glamor and crouched down next to the boy, staring at the muddie boy as he gasped.

“The fuck,” the boy cursed. “Why are you dressed in—” the boy looked around, confused. “Why do you have—” his eyes were on Jace’s sword.

Alec rolled up his sleeve and removed his glamor, he pocketed his stele and crouched down opposite of Jace. “Are you hurt?” he asked the sighted girl. Checking her for injuries, she was covered in her mother’s blood, but some might be hers.

She shook her head, “my mom, my mom, please, please—”

“It’ll be okay,” Alec said softly, not wanting to scare her.

“I don’t know what happened,” she fell forward, onto her mother’s corpse, out of the boy’s weak grip. “I don’t—”

“It’s okay,” Alec soothed. The girl’s hand curled on her mother’s shirt as her tears mixed with the blood.

Jace pulled the boy back by his shoulder, “It’s dangerous to stay here,” he told the boy.

Alec stood up and walked behind the girl and lifted her up.

“Mom,” she reached forward but Alec held her back. She gave up and curled into his chest.

“Can you tell me your name?”

“Clary,” she said, her voice muffled against his shirt. “Clary Fray.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, the comments about the next chapter and kudos really motivate/ embarrass and humiliate me for waiting so long to write, and I appreciate every single one of them.


	7. Si tamen acta deos numquam mortalia fallunt,  a culpa facinus scitis abesse mea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the title “Si tamen acta deos numquam mortalia fallunt, a culpa facinus scitis abesse mea." ("Yet if mortal actions never deceive the gods,) basically that if life is all is in god(s) plan or control then your actions are never truly your own commonly followed by a culpa facinus scitis abesse mea which means that, then nothing can ever be your fault 
> 
> WARNING: past torture, psychological torture, and suicidal thoughts

_He grunted and looked around. A man stood in front of him a smile on his face._

_“Tell me what your name is?”_

_“I—I don’t remember.”_

_“Do you know me?”_

_“No. I don’t remember anything.”_

* * *

 

“Okay, Clary,” Alec said, in what he hoped was a soothing tone. His turned to the _forsaken's_ body the Seraph blade poking out of it glimmering in the moonlight.

“I don't know what happened,” Clary said, grasping at Alec's leather-covered arm, securing her fingers around the sleeve. “I didn’t see anything.”

“It's going to be okay,” Alec closed his hand over his wrist. “We will,” he watched Jace, talking to the boy, “figure this out.”

Clary’s fingers slid up his arm, the jacket pulled back from slicing through the glamor rune, her fingers had the residue of colorful paint and charcoal over the nails. She traced the runes up his arm but stopped at the Enkeli Rune that was right under his elbow, on the outside of his forearm.

“My mom,” her voice broke. Alec thought that letting her trace the runes that took over some people with a song would bring comfort, but she cried harder. “This mark, I keep seeing it, she showed it to me.” Clary pulled back from his chest but kept his arm in her grip. “Who are you?”

“You can trust me,” Alec said, knowing she wouldn’t. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

She eyed his bow and arrow.

“It’s for protection.”

“We need to take them back to the Institute,” Jace said, the boy collapsed against the wall, curling himself into his knees.

“Something’s not right,” Alec said, crouching down, taking Clary with him, to the woman’s body. The Enkeli Rune was put in the place of a Shadowhunter’s choosing, the spot mainly differing between cities and families, but most have it somewhere on their arm.

He pulled back her sleeve, the scent of blood filling his nose, and there on the inside of her forearm above her wrist, dark like ink against her skin.

“She’s a Shadowhunter,” Alec looked up at Jace, who stood next to the boy, looking unsure of who to deal with him. Alec looked over at the _forsaken,_ the pieces falling into place. “She killed the _forsaken.”_

“He attacked her,” Clary said, dropping Alec’s arm hugging herself tightly. “Who are you?” she backed up, not able to take her eyes off her mother.

“I figured that much,” Jace said before Alec could talk, he grabbed the mundie boy’s arm and hoisted him up. “It’s not safe here,” Jace pulled the seraph blade from the _forsaken’s_ body.

“Uh uh,” the boy said, tears still in his eyes, failing to wrench his arm from Jace. “No. I’m not going anywhere with some random mysterious hot bad boy.”

“You think I’m hot,” Jace smirked, clearly amused. “And you don’t have a choice unless of course, you want to die then, by all means, stay,” Jace released his arm, moving to stand beside Alec. “We only need the girl.”

“Clary is her name,” Alec said, scared for the poor girl, Jace was a good man but he was like an unstoppable wave that could tear her apart, he was haunted by his father’s words and damaged, so he keeps all his girlfriends at an arm's length, no matter how much he loves them, no matter how much they love him. “And don’t Jace.”

Jace raised an eyebrow at him, he opened his mouth—  

“Who are you, people?” Clary asked desperately, looking between them.

“I’m Alec, this is Jace,” Alec said even though it meant nothing. “We’re Shadowhunters.”

“I don’t understand.”

Alec showed her his arm again, the _Angelic Power_ rune bold against his skin. “You said you’ve seen this before.”

“I keep seeing it,” she nodded holding herself tightly as Simon came to stand behind her and put an arm around her shoulders. “In my dreams and my art.”

“What do tattoos have to do with Miss. F’s,” he swallowed hard. “Death,” he finished in a weak voice.

Clary reached back into her jacket pocket and pulled something out. “She gave this to me this morning. She had her own and used it to make the tattoos appear.” She curled her hand and a stele rested in her palm, smooth silver adamas and encrusted with runes.

“She’s a Shadowhunter,” Alec stated the obvious. “She must have left to marry,” he told Jace, it was reasonable for some but to Alec giving up duty for love is unforgivable, dishonorable. “Who is your father?

“John—Jonathan Clark he died before I was born,” Clary managed. “What is a Shadowhunter?”

“We protect the mundanes,” Alec said, watching the half-shadowhunter’s face contort in confusion.

“From what?” Clary asked.

“Demons.”

Simon laughed. “You can’t be serious,” Simon said, panicking. “Demons,” he parroted, the laughter died on his tongue. “Demons, really demons, here, in New York, in this realm?”

“Don’t worry little mundie,” Jace murmured, his voice like velvet, like a pile of leaves over a hole in the ground and _oh no,_ was Alec’s only thought. “It’s our job to handle this.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Clary said, shaking her head. “Not yet at least. I need to…I need….I need to call Luke, in a voice message she told me to call...I need to tell him what happened.” Clary wiped her eyes but the tears didn’t stop. “Where, where,” she patted her pockets, “Where is my phone.”

“I’ll call,” Simon squeaked and wiped his tears, he pulled his own phone from his pocket, it was covered in a case of solidified lasers against each other like swords. “I don’t know how to tell him.”

“Wait for a second,” Jace snatched the phone, ”The fewer people who know the fewer problems we have. You really have to come with us.”

“Where will you take us?” Clary said, her eyes on Jace’s sword, grasping at Simon. “Please. Please. Let me call Luke.”

“How old are you?” Jace asked.

“Eighteen.”

“She has a choice,” Jace pointed out.

“But there could be more, _forsaken’s_ don’t just attack a woman who just happened to be a Shadowhunter,” Alec countered.  

“Good point.” Jace huffed but didn’t take his eyes of Clary.

Alec pulled him away, taking a few steps to the left, leaning down to whisper in his ear. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing.”

“What do you mean.”

“Treating Simon like that, being rude to her best friend isn’t going to make Clary like you.”

“That's not what I’m doing.”

“Don’t lie, I can feel it,” Alec pressed his hand to the _parabatai_ rune over his stomach. “She’ll choose her mundane life,” Alec watched as Clary and Simon hugged. “She doesn’t want any part in this.”

“She doesn’t know anything about this life,” Jace said, brushing Alec off. “We can and will take you in.” Jace turned to the hugging pair. “You can go willingly,” Jace unsheathed his Seraph Blade of dark adamas, jagged and glowing with runes of power, swiftness, and speed. “Or the hard way, into protective custody, until we figure this out.”

Clary and Simon shared a look. Alec drew his bow and strung an arrow, following Jace’s lead. wordlessly.

“Okay, we will go with you,” Clary said biting her lip and brushing the tears off her face again.

* * *

 

“What is a Shadowhunter?” Simon asked as the walked to the institute. “How...was Miss. F. one Lovelace and Bridgestock were taking care of the crime scene, the forsaken would be burned and the shadowhunter women will be ID’d and buried in the cemetery of the disgraced.

“Half-Angel half-human warriors,” Jace answered.

“Angels.” Simon echoed. “So there is a God.”

“No, I didn’t say that,” Jace said. “I’ve said that angels and demons but nothing of God.”

Simon looked at Clary but she was silent, blood still covering her hands.

“Oh I see,” Jace stopped and leaned back on the dirty siding of an abandoned building. “You think that just because there is a—” he pointed down to represent _hell._ “There is a—” he pointed up at the dark sky for _heaven._ “No one is even sure if we’re are half angel, maybe angel is the only word Jonathan could think of.”      

Alec didn’t think much on it. He believed they were from an angel, that there is a God but xe has abandoned them or is just cruel, Alec isn’t sure which he prefers.

“I do, yes,” Simon said and nervously fixed his glasses twice in just as many seconds. “I’m uh kind of religious, well I’m Jewish—” he nodded at Clary—” she isn’t but I do think there is a God and half-angels are in the possibility, I think the Torah might have actually mentioned them.”

“Nephilim,” Jace filled in. “That what some call us, and sometimes we call ourselves that.”

“And Clary is one of you?”

“We can test it if we give her a blade or a rune and she isn’t ready she could die, go mad or become a _forsaken,”_ Jace said and started to walk again, faster this time. “But we have stronger muscles, stronger cells, we’re different on a biological level and we can test for that. Or at least Isabelle can,” Jace added much to Clary and Simon’s relief.

“Okay, so maybe this will be a misunderstanding,” Simon said hopefully and grabbed Clary’s hand. Alec didn’t know how Jace felt, for Jace was shutting out the bond, only giving what the bare minimum of what bond demanded to keep them connected. But all over his face was despair.

“That would mean that the woman isn’t Clary’s mother. What was her name?”

“Joice,” Clary whispered at length.

“Thank you, as I was saying that would mean that Joice isn’t Clary’s mother because she had runes and lifted a Seraph Blade and is definitely a Shadowhunter and the Shadowhunter blood is dominant regardless of who your father was,” Jace continued with the crash course taking a sharp left-hand turn. “We’re only a few blocks out.”

“Okay,” Simon said, mostly to himself. “Okay, what will happen to us there?”

“We are of the Clave but this is beyond us,” Alec interjected. “This is for the Inquisitors maybe a High Inquisitor.”

‘What is an Inquisitor?”

“They enforce the law, investigate, cases and prosecute trials,” Alec answered. “High Inquisitor's rule over the Inquisitors, being chosen for bigger more complex cases and get a seat in the judicial sessions of the council.

“The council?”

“The Council make the laws and regulations,” Alec gave a textbook definition.

“Cool, cool, do we have rights to this... council,” Simon paired his words with wild hand gestures. “Because I would really not like to be kept in an inhumane cell without a fair trial. Not that I want to be on trial, I didn’t do—  

“You’ll only stay with us until we make sure your not in danger,” Jace said. “And probably sign a non-disclosure, that will be legally binding,” Jace added, not to Simon or Clary’s joy.

“I just want to go to Luke,” Clary said in a weak voice. “Shadowhunter or whatever I don’t care, I want to go home.”

“Your mother has been targeted, for all we know, you could be too.”

“Why, why, even if she was this shadow-person, who would want to kill my mom?” Clary came to halt her eyes closed tightly.  

“Shadowhunters make enemies,” Alec said and grabbed her arm, rougher than needed, and pulled her forward. “We need to go faster.”

A loud crash came from the other end of the alleyway. Alec drew his bow and strung an arrow without thought, his runes hummed to life under his skin, he was ready in a second and Jace was too, Alec didn’t even have to look to feel him spring to life.

Screams, screams of pain. The rounded the corner, both he and Jace had been partially blocking the bond but now there was no blocking it. Instinct, emotion, brain power all multiplied by tenfold as they connected fully, the angelic power under them coming to life for battle.

“STOP.”

They turned to corned and a thin young woman stood there, her dark skin was covered in burns and gashed her sleeves were torn and scratches and more burns covered her arms. Alec and Jace got closer and they could see above her collar her neck was scratched and her hands had pins in them.

Her eyes were worst of all. White with no pupil but bloodshot marks over the white eyes.

“On the ground,” Alec ordered. She didn’t move. “By order of the Clave,” Alec couldn't finish, something was wrong, his head buzzed. And buzzed, sharp as screams. He couldn't think but he didn’t need to.

_“That's how Shadowhunters think.” Laughter, deep in his throat and rasped. “They don’t, they let their brain take over.”_

Alec felt it snap and he pushed the young woman to her knees. She didn’t seem to notice. Alec drew his knife of dark adamas the runes glowed blue. “I said on the ground.”

He couldn't think.

She opened her mouth and her fangs were out, sharp and coated in blood, the inside of her mouth was scraped up too, she had no teeth but her fangs, and her tongue had hives on it. Alec took her hands, both so thin they fit in his one. He took out a cuff and latched them over her wrists.

She was dead weight, her eyes had no pupils, they were bloodshot and didn’t blink. They were trained on Alec, looking up at him, even though her eyes couldn’t see Alec distantly felt her gaze.

A noise came from her toothless mouth, not a groan, but a strangled cry like she had hands around her neck. Blood dripped from her mouth, her jaw trembled.  

Alec couldn’t think. Well that was wrong he could, but it didn’t matter he was on autopilot. His actions not his own. His thoughts not his own, whispers in his head grew the screams. The Angel—-or his years of training—-was taking over. He didn’t want to think.

His knife rested in his hands, the hilt cold and the dark adamas glowing with a harsh blue light as the runes activated to his touch.

His instructions, given repeatedly. _“When you get it on its knees, you’ve won. If it tries anything then kill it. If it doesn’t resist, then take it back. The creature doesn’t deserve gentleness.”_

Alec holds his knife close to her head. “Close your mouth.”

She doesn’t.

She cries out again.. Screaming like Alec had brought the blade down on her again. “I—” she could finish, she choked on air and fell to the ground, even though she didn't have to breathe. Alec pulled her up and took her jaw, it was locked open.

“What happened to her?” Jace asked.

“I don’t know,” Alec said and brought her to her feet.

Around the corner came Clary and Simon, horrified looks on their faces.

“She’ll be okay,” Alec said, the screaming, the buzzing stopped, leaving blurred memories in its wake. “She’ll get medical treatment, vampires heal quickly.” Alec took most of her weight, she leaned against him, weak groaning in pain. “Busy night,” he remarked to Jace.

Jace hummed in agreement. Taking out his phone and snapping a picture of the victim and the vampire. He shoved it back in his pocket and started to walk. Someone would come and handle to the body.

“But what happened to her?” Jace asked.

“I don’t know but the Downworld gets rough. She may have wronged someone, once she gets healed we can ask her you did this.”

Simon gasped as he and Clary rounded the corner but Jace and Alec just turned and walked. This wasn’t exactly normal but finding a Downworlder _this_ bad was a little strange.

“Something is wrong,” Simon said as they walked. “I mean besides the fact that Clary is a demon hunter and vampires are real and she looks terrible. I mean my spidey-senses are tingling, are we being watched? Because I think we are.”

“We’re almost there,” Alec picked up the pace, but felt no gaze but the white-eyed ones trained up at him. “And what do you mean _spidey-sense.”_

“For real?” Simon said and shook his head. “It’s a comic book thing. But iconic outside the comic book community, like _with great power comes great responsibility._ No, never heard of it. It should be the motto of every hero”

“Our motto is Descensus Averno facilis est,” Jace pronounced the latin flawlessly. “The descent to Hell is easy.”

“That's pretty dark, all of it,” Simon said softly.

“It’s not wrong,” Jace looked back at Simon, the wind pulling his hair back and a smirk on his face and his eyes on Simon. “If you don’t like that you won’t like this, _pulvis et umbra sumus,_ it's another popular saying.”

“What does it mean?”

“We are but dust and shadows.”

* * *

 

Once they got to the Institute, the vampire now walking mostly by herself, Simon spoke.

“Why are we at an old church.”

“It’s not an old church it uses a glamour,” Jace said. “It’s really a big spectacular church like building”

“I don’t see it.”

“You will once we walk in,” Alec said and opened the door, the elevators lined the walls and people gathered, watching them.

He turned to the med bay door. “She killed a mundane but needs medical treatment,” He told a woman by the door to the med bay, she took the vampire and led her into the med bay.

“The Shadowhunter’s daughter,” Aldertree said moving so he was in front of the crowd. His face set and a tablet in his hands. “Your full name?”

“Clarissa Fray. Please call me Clary though.”

“And the boy?”

“I’m Simon Lewis, I um saw as much as Clary.”

“I’ll deal with you in a minute.” Aldertree typed on a tablet. “Your mother's full name?” He asked Clary.

Clary wiped her wet eyes. “Joice Fray.”

“Is that her maiden name?

“Yes.”

“Your father?”

Clary bit her lip under the emotionless questioning. “Dead. His full name was Jonathan Clark.”

“We have no record of a Joice Fray,” Aldertree said, looking down on Clary, looming over her like a threat. “But yet she had runes and a _Seraph Blade.”_

“I don’t know how,” Clary said. “All I know is she gave me this,” Clary pulled out her _stele. “_ Told me we needed to talk but I left before she could. She left me a voice message telling me to come home, there were loud noises and she told me to call Luke, once I got it I came back and she...she was…”

“You weren't there for any of it?” Aldertree asked, clearly not buying it. “Where were you.”

“At a club. I just turned eighteen.”

The door opened again and on Bridgestock and Lovelace came through, Lovelace holding Joice in his arms. He laid her out on a table in the ops center.

“That is Jocelyn Morgenstern,” Lovelace said. Everyone gasped, Alec turned to Clary, reimaging her mother, he had heard of her but never seen her. Lovelace was older though and seemed sure.

Three Shadowhunters jumped at once, grabbing Clary, by both her arms and one hand on her neck. Blades were drawn, small knives and daggers everyone kept on them. Dark adamas and light adamas glowed at the touch, some pointed as Clary, other’s just drawn.

“No,” Clary struggled but got nowhere, tears returning.

Simon reached for her, only a few steps from Alec,  but Jace held him back, looping an arm around Simon’s waist and pulled him back against Jace’s chest.  

Alec didn’t know if it was true but she was a Morgenstern she could be like her father, he drew his knife, not wanting another war.

“The daughter of a murder,” Lovelace said. “I will never forget Jocelyn and her betrayal, she used to be a friend of mine, then she and her husband almost killed me.”

“She is my mom, Joice, not Jocelyn, you have it wrong. You have it wrong. She’s not, she is not—” Clary crumpled to the ground, down to her knees. “You can’t. I don’t know. I don’t know.”

Next, to him, Jace brought another hand over Simon’s mouth. “You’ll make it worse,” he whispered to Simon but Alec heard it. “For her and for yourself.”

“She would never hurt anyone,” Clary yelled.

“Listen for a second, Miss. Morgenstern,” Aldertree said. “We can’t let the daughter of two killers free. You could be a spy, sent in the last hurrah for Valentine's plan.” Aldertree crouched down and took her chin his hand. “Even if you aren’t we cannot take a chance.”

“I don’t know anything,” Clary said desperately. “I just want to know why someone would send something to kill my mom.” Her red hair was blocking her face, hanging shoulder-length and in her face, but he could hear the tears in her voice.  

“Some say your mother swapped sides in the last stage of the war,” Lovelace said, he stared at Clary. “I don’t believe it. She was a killer, she didn’t gather werewolves, they came themselves,  she didn't burn Valentine, soldiers of the clave did, and she burned with him, or at least everyone thought.”

Alec watched, distantly, Jocelyn Morgenstern was the head of a lot of the gossip in the Shadow World, most of it was just rumors and some people think she helped the Downworlders but there is no evidence so she remained dishonored and presumed dead.

“We need to run her DNA first,” Isabelle shoved her way through the crowd, to stand in front of Clary, blocking her from Aldertree. “Both her and the presumed Jocelyn Morgenstern need to be tested or we could be in violation of the _Accords_ and have problems with the Mundane law.”

“We can’t take any chances,” Lovelace argued. “She could be here to avenge her father,” Lovelace said, voice raising. “To kill us all.”

“She has mundane papers and is protected by her rights,” Isabelle snapped her whip and it curled around on the men holding Clary’s neck. “Innocent until proven guilty.”

Alec stepped forward, he didn’t understand mundane law very well but trusted Isabelle, he pulled one of the guys off and Isabelle’s whip drew one back. Jace let go of Simon and took care of the other one. They stood in a circle, daring others to try their luck against the only _parabatai_ in a generation and Isabelle.

Simon stood there, hair a mess and glasses crooked and graphic t-shirt looking very far out place amongst suits and black gear decorated with weapons. He opened his mouth but closed it.

Aldertree pursed his lips. “Run the tests then,” he said, a smile on his face covering his rage.

“Copy that,” Isabelle held a hand out for Clary to take and when she did, Isabelle gently helped her up.

* * *

 

Isabelle was running tests but nearly everyone was confident that Lovelace was right. Alec had been on that hunt for a while and went back to Magnus’ unable to stand the looks he was getting.

When he knocked Magnus opened it quickly, standing there in a purple shirt—that buttoned on a diagonal and necklaces were draped over it— like he expected Alec to show up. “Hello, Alexander.”

“Hi,” Alec didi know how he should act. “Sorry I came back to early I was only gone for a few hours, I just—”

“Didn't want to deal with people,” Magnus guessed. “The looks,” he added.

“Yeah, it’s not a slow day, Jocelyn Fairchild was apparently still alive and was killed, her daughter is left, she has no idea of the Shadow World.”

Magnus stared at him. “Who killed Jocelyn?”

“A _forsaken,”_ Alec told him, still standing in the doorway. “Not sure who sent it, but she made a lot of enemies.”

“She did,” Magnus turned away from the door and gazed out the glass door to the balcony and the city. “I knew her,” Magnus said softly. “She was a good woman, what will happen to her daughter.”

“She’s over eighteen and gets to decide.”

Magnus shook his head. “She’ll join your ranks,” he said softly, still staring at the city. “She’ll want to find who sent the _forsaken_ that killed her mother.”

Alec felt uncomfortable but stepped inside and shut the door. He followed Magnus’ path and stood beside him. “I think whoever sent that _forsaken,_ sent the one in Idris too.”

“What about the request to see Baba Agnieszka? She will know something.”

“She won’t talk, she never does.”

“She will to me,” Magnus said and turned to face Alec, he was shorter but it didn’t matter with a gaze so intense. “Whoever killed Jocelyn won’t stop.”

Alec flinched back, his head was buzzing, not as intense but he felt the fog start to come over his mind. He ducked his head and covered his brain with his hands.

It was overwhelming and he needed to get to—not he couldn’t.

“What's wrong?” Magnus asked and placed his hands on Alec’s head, between Alec’s own hands.

He thoughts were cluttered and and and he needed to get to—  

Alec felt something tingle, Magnus’ magic it must be, clouded his head in comfort.

“Something is wrong,” Magnus said, more magic was poured into his head, reaching for something. The magic faded away. “Do you feel it.”

He needed to report back—

A sharp spray of magic cut through his thoughts, it was like giant waves hitting each other, destroying Alec,  it was emptiness, a headspace Alec hated, buzzing and crumbling down Alec went, down down—

It stopped at once, Alec surged forward, he was on the ground Magnus kneeling by his side.

“What just happened?” Magnus asked and put his hands back on Alec’s head.

Alec let him. “I don’t know.”  

“Something is wrong with your mind, I can feel it.”

“It’s happened before,” Alec said, searching through his blurry memories, in a covering of darkness that felt unbreakable.

“How often,” Magnus was gentle as his magic explored Alec’s head. “Oh Lilith,” he said before Alec could answer. “There is something in your mind, tied around the nerves.”

Alec pulled at his hair. “What is happening?” He clawed at his head, desperately trying to stop it all.  He wasn’t his own. “Something bad is going to happen.”

Magnus made an arch with a glowing hand, blue and dancing like fire on his hand, the arch went over him. Alec grasped at Magnus’s wrist, “I’m sorry,” he quickly said, knowing what Magnus was thinking. “I’m—”

“Shhh,” Magnus crooned, voice like velvet.

“Kill me,” he begged, he didn’t want to be a puppet on someone’s string and whose string is he on. It can’t be.

“No,” Magnus said. “Do you know who is doing this.”

He fought the feeling, strong and overtaking and with Magnus he didn’t drown. He could hardly remember anything from when he got like this, but he remembered being a kid, long nights training and blurred days, memories under the waves. The buzz, there was always a buzz. There were orders—-he kept forgetting getting them for a while— but now the water cleared.

“My father,” Alec said, he felt as broken as his mind was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Temporary runes, when sliced through with a stele, or when a stele is moved over the rune again, after being put on, it deactivates.  
> Xe/xem/xyr is a third person genderless pronoun. Xe in place of he/she/it/they so so God is often referred to as he but in Shadowhunter culture, God is genderless to most but some refer to God as him, so xe had abandoned them, just means [genderless pronoun for previously stated God] had abandoned them.  
> Xem replaces where him/her/it/them would go.  
> Xyr replaces his/her/its/their  
> Xyrs replaces his/hers/its/theirs.  
> Xemself replaces himself/herself/itself/themselves.  
> There are other third-person pronouns and as they come up I will explain them. 
> 
> Ohh boi that was a long one but I hope it made up for the long wait.


	8. Cor Aut Mors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Trans Day of Visibility sending love to all you guys, gals, non-binary pals (i'll stop with the rhymes now) giving a gift too in the form of a chapter!
> 
> Cor Aut Mors means; heart or death. (Your choice is between) The Heart (Moral Values, Duty, Loyalty) or Death (to no longer matter, to no longer be respected as a person of integrity.)
> 
> WARNING: parental abuse, psychological torture, and suicidal thoughts.

“My father,” Alec said, he felt as broken as his mind was. It was like a shadow covered the room like they were prey and the hunters were right outside, but it wasn’t, it was in Alec’s head. Alec was glad he was on the floor already.

Magnus still crouched beside him and took his hand, but he didn’t hold it, he examined it, like a doctor, ran his ring-adorned, amber, silver, gold, like stars glittering on smooth fingers and his hand traveled over Alec’s calloused hands, like scales to velvet.

“Are you sure?” Magnus asked and dropped Alec’s hand to curl his fingers around the back of Alec’s neck and pressed his magic humming fingertips to the base of Alec’s skull.

Alec thought back, training sessions, lost time, the cloak that seems to cover his mind and urges that come from a whispering voice deep in him. “Yes,” Alec nearly choked as he spoke. “What is happening?”

“Maybe a glitch, or intentional, I don’t know,” Magnus closed his eyes and burst of magic seeped into Alec, scanning, searching. “It was meant to hurt you but your brain fought back.”

“I keep forgetting so much,” Alec admitted, he was on the ground fear of being weak was thrown out the window. “Why would he want to hurt me.”

“Did you do something that would upset your father?”

“No.”

Alec felt to the vial of poison in his pocket, the buzzing was gone but he couldn’t reach for it, his body wouldn’t obey his mind, his mind couldn’t think straight. “Pocket,” Alec managed. Focusing was hard. “Pocket.”

Magnus hesitated. “I can’t turn it off,” Magnus whispered, his fingers spun around Alec’s neck and into the loose curls of hair. “It would kill you.”

“Pocket,” Alec couldn’t remember why he searched and searched but it was like the ocean had flooded his mind. “Pocket.”

Magnus seemed to hear him this time and reached into his pocket as told. Alec felt when Magnus’s fingers touched the cold glass, Magnus pulled it out of the pocket and held it up to the light.

“Alexander.” Magnus sounded sad—his eyes were sad. Alec looked up at him, kneeling and holding the vial “What is this?” Magnus asked even though his eyes said he already knew.

“Poison,” Alec fought it, tooth and nail, like a seraph blade against a demon prince, magma against the earth’s crust.

“Alexander,” Magnus finally broke the heavy silence and moved, stood up, Alec laid on the floor helpless and lagging helplessly behind. “Alexander,” like Alec’s full name was a curse, a deity, a prayer.

“Magnus,” Alec couldn’t think father than a name, a veil, thick as adamas hung like a banner in his head. “I—”

Magnus shushed him, streams of magic flowed from his hands, blue and like rivers meeting they connected and where the two streams met it was the vial of poison. Like a spider-web, the strands of magic crossed and tangled to together.

The magic went as fast as is came and the vial fell to Magnus’ open palm, Alec noticed his nails were painted red, like blood.

“It’s like nothing I’ve seen before,” Magnus set it down on a table that was littered with glasses and a tall spiraled glass full of alcohol.

“No I need it,” Alec couldn’t think properly and never before has it been so hard to just THINK. “No—no—no—no—no—no,” Alec feel over onto his stomach, pressed his temple into the floor, gasped and clawed at his head.

It was too much.

It wasn’t buzzing anymore. It was screaming. Like a tsunami, like solar flares, like a supernova and cicadas in his ear.  Unbearable, numbing as ice frozen over him.

He pushed up to his elbows, his hand fisted in his hair and knees dug into the floor, the pain was unrelenting. Tendrils of magic, like snakes and rivers and the angel’s hand to put a crown upon his head, it twisted over his head weaved into his mind, twisted like a crown of branches, a gentle touch between strokes of sharp-edged knives.

“Alexander.”

“I’m good,” Alec said, it passed like a wave made of swords and spikes, ripped through Alec’s brain and left thick scars and seeping wounds. Alec turned over and stood up, thankful for his _equilibrium_ rune. “What did you do?” Alec asked softly.

“Soothed it a little,” Magnus answered. “But it mostly stopped on its own.”

“What is it doing to me?” Alec smoothed his hand over his head, it was still pulsing but not throbbing with pain like a seraph blade through his skull.

“I’m not sure,” Magnus’ manicured hands hovered over Alec’s head. “May I?”

Alec nodded, he didn’t trust his voice. Magnus' hands ran over Alec’s head, his magic like rays of light vibed through his head.

“There is no energy signature,” Magnus said at length, his soothing song was ripped away from Alec’s aching head.  It was like a band-aid over broken glass but it was something. “No magic is in your head.”

Alec dropped his hands and turned to fully face Magnus. “How is this happening then?” Alec tried to think but there was nothing to see, black spaces in his memory but he hardly noticed anything was missing until now. When the afterglow of  Magnus’s magic was in his head.

“Science,” Magnus muttered, almost to himself. “The Lightwood’s are an ancient house of Nephilim, how would they crack mind control, or something like mind control, clearly not perfected.” He turned to Alec. “It’s a device in your head that doing all this, most likely controlled by Robert.”

“It must be someone else,” Alec said, it caught Magnus’ attention and he stared at Alec, his eyelids rimmed in black liner and red powder. “My dad couldn’t have done this he doesn’t know anything about science.”

“Maybe he could’ve,” Magnus suddenly flipped.”The Lightwood have mixed with the Branwell’s over the years, yes?”

“Yeah,” Alec said, he thought back to his lessons, something that remained intact in his mind. “My dad’s mother was a Branwell.”

“The Branwell’s are scientists,” Magnus turned on a heal and walked to a bookshelf he had as a wall.

“Used to be scientists,” Alec corrected. “They stopped after the Clave made them since they wasted resources.” Alec was hesitant so he stayed where he stood for a moment as Magnus dug through his books. Alec trailed after Magnus, slowly, unsure if it is a good idea to be by a warlock in search of something.

Magnus turned to face him, a black book in his hands, bound in leather and wrapped with a string, the book was old, wear and tear on its surface, small imprints, and marks on the once pristine leather. The pages are sticking out, it was well thumbed through.

“So the Clave says,” Magnus stared at him and used his magic to turn the book to a certain page. “But I think they never stopped experiments,” Magnus looked down at the journal, angled away from Alec’s view. “But they could’ve been banned because they were on to something.”

Alec pressed his hand to his head, it wasn’t buzzing but hurt from before, sore from being ripped open by whatever is inside his head. Alec took out his stele and drew and an _iratze_ on the back of his neck, as close to his skull as possible.

Magnus looked up at him as he burned an angel’s mark into his neck, with dark eyes he scanned over Alec. “You don’t seem surprised.”

“It’s starting to get hard to be surprised about anything,” Alec pointed to the _wedded union_ rune on where his wrist and his hand meet. “He was apart of the Circle. I’ve known something was wrong with me, with my memory, my thoughts but I couldn’t say anything. So no this really isn’t a surprise.”

Magnus closed the book and wrapped the string around the thick mass of pages and tied it tightly to hold the journal’s pages in place.

“Why wouldn’t you say anything?” Magnus asked and set the journal down, now all of his attention on Alec. Magnus stepped forward, almost as if he was drawn in, but Alec was the only puppet on strings. Magnus was free, he held himself with incredible posture and each moment held a certain flair that showed he knew exactly what he was doing, how to hold everyone's eyes on him

Alec didn’t answer.

“Does your parabatai know about your...problem?” Magnus continued and he stepped even closer. They were a step apart. It was like spinning, dancing, hanging off the edge of a skyscraper.

Alec shook his head. “Yes, but he’ll keep quiet.” They had had the conversation without words, not to add disgrace to the Lightwood name, to Alec’s name. “He has no idea about Father—Robert.” Alec clenched his jaw so tightly that Jace might have felt it.  

“Before...what did you think it was?” Magnus was looking at him like he had already figured it all out, all of Alec’s secrets, seen through Alec’s mask of adamas.

“I don’t know,” Alec snapped, he took a deep breath. “It’s never been like that,” Alec said calmer, getting his emotions in check.

Magnus nodded and slipped down, with grace like a feline, to sit on a dark purple couch, the couch had one long cushion and one long arm that stretched over the couch, under the cushion the base was lined with little circles of gold.

Alec stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do next.

“I’m sorry, Alexander,” Magnus said, like a mundane, who always apologize for something that wasn’t their fault. He sounded truly sorry.

Alec nodded and sat down opposite of Magnus on a deep red armchair, made of leather and so stiff it must be new.  Alec shifted in his seat, the leather felt nicer than anything in the Institute, like something that would be in the Herondale mansion in Idris.

“For what’s already happened and what will happen.”

“What do you think is going to happen?”

“Another war,” Magnus pulled the journal off the table and thumbed through it. “It’s hardly been anytime between this and last one.” Then Magnus laughed, more of a bark, dark and humorless. “I suppose the last one never ended.”

Alec swallowed hard, Magnus’ words fell on his ears like a prophecy, a warning for what is to come. “Shadowhunters are made to fight in wars.” Against demons, against anyone.

Magnus smiled sadly and held up the journal. “Even so, with you maybe we can stop it.”

“We?” Alec pointed to himself. “I’m a liability. Don’t tell me anything.”

“Or,” Magnus said, he leaned forward, his eyes pried at Alec. “You could be our greatest weapon.”

Alec watched Magnus confused like he was solving a puzzle and he didn’t have all the pieces. “I don’t really have control over myself when I get into that headspace, instinct takes over.” Alec ran his fingers over his temple. “I only ever remember pieces if anything.”

Magnus rested his elbow on his knee and a hand under his chin. “I think it’s rewriting your brain, your instincts, and your short-term memory,” Magnus’ phone buzzed and he took it out of his pocket, his eyes narrowed as he read the message. “Downwolder’s are dying at a higher rate than normal,” Magnus read out loud. “The leaders are calling for a meeting, they want to meet you.”

Alec dug his nails into his hand. “Why am I starting to remember more.”

“It’s been in your head long enough for your brain to start to figure out how to defend yourself from it,” Magnus said. “Or the device could be getting weaker I would need a second opinion before I am certain, this is not my expertise.”

“I need to get back,” Alec was dazed but he caught that in the whirlwind of thoughts. “That's what it was trying to tell me. I need to get back,” Alec stood up. “It hurt because it’s urgent, I _need to get back_ ,” Alec couldn’t find anymore locked in his head, hidden behind the dark veil.

“Don’t go yet,” Magnus came to his feet too, his arm outstretched like he was going to touch Alec but as their eyes met his hand dropped to his side. “I need you to fake like you're under his control if you can break from it more,” Magnus’s eyes gripped at him. “I need you to fight it as much as you can and get back here as soon as you can.”

“I can do that.”

“Only mention any of this to people who you trust. Who do you trust, beyond anything?”

“Jace and Isabelle,” Alec didn’t add Hodge, he lied to Alec all his life, he didn’t get to be on that list. “Who do you trust.”

“Almost no one,” Magnus’ said, “But a few old friends I trust with my life.” Magnus tore his eyes from Alec. “Ask one of them the dig up all they can on Henry Branwell.”

“Was that—”

Magnus reached behind him and took the journal off the table with long fingers. “Henry Branwell’s journal, yes, he gave it to me ages ago, I need to look through it again later.”

“I’ll do what I can,” Alec promised. “I trust you too,” Alec added before he could think the better of it. “I don’t know why, but I do.”

“I trust you too.” Magnus sniffed loudly, his hand gestured around. “Must be something in the air.”

* * *

Alec arrived at the Institute, via a portal and not to his surprise Robert is there. As High Inquisitor, he among other things handles relations with the mundane world.

“I want to go home,” Clary yelled resembling a child. “I don’t care if I’m some _Shadowhunter,”_ She said the word like a slur and Robert looked disapprovingly down at her in his dark three-piece suit. Fathe—Robert crossed his arms over his chest.

“You are the heir of the Morgenstern family,” Robert told her.

“I don’t want some killer’s blood money,” Clary said the rage on her face not hidden, she was openly boiling, it was a wonder what not being raised to hide every emotion does to a person.

“We need to question you,” Robert continued, his voice calm like she wasn’t yelling at him with tears in her eyes. “I’ve handled things with the mundane police and government.”

Clary tried to blink away tears but they rolled down her face, she wiped them and Alec noticed that she had the same ring as Magnus, one of two twisting ends of silver,  like a snake it curled around her finger and at the tip of each edge a small sphere of amber rested.

A coincidence for sure.

“Listen for one Mrs. Morgenstern—”

“It’s Fray,” Clary interrupted. The few Shadowhunters in the room looked around at each other than back down and pretended to mind their own business.

Father—Robert rolled his eyes. “By the order of the Clave,” Robert took adamas handcuffs from his pocket. “You are under arrest.

Clary’s arms are bound behind her back by two guards and Robert did the honor of securing her hands with the cuffs. Tears ran down her cheeks, her eyes filled with despair and anger alike, she spat at Robert as her tears hit the ground.

Robert wiped the spit from his face, slowly. Then with speed, shadowhunter speed, a blink of an eye and he had his hand around Clary’s neck, forcing her to look him in the eyes.

He squeezed her neck and Alec was just standing there, almost paralyzed in fear because he didn’t know what Robert could do to him. He was a Lightwood. A Shadowhunter. It had to mean more than just _standing_ and _watching._

It had to mean more than being controlled

He surged forward, faster, his _parabatai_ had applied the rune, he had a _parabatai_ they connected closer again, Alec was stronger. Jace was out on patrol but they forged the same fire. Alec pulled Roberts hand from Clarys trembling neck, his fingertips had only been on her a moment but faint red marks, like a collar, wrapped around her pale neck.

He wasn’t controlled, not as he twisted Roberts hand away from Clary.

“Don’t make a scene,” Robert ordered through gritted teeth and Alec almost dropped Roberts' wrist on pure instinct but he leaned on Jace as if his _parabatai_ was next to him, leaned on Magnus magic that swirled around in his brain.

But Alec did drop his wrist, but not because he had to, he chose to, he had to act ignorant. “You are making a scene.”

Clary held her head high, defiance written on her face. “Don’t. Touch me again like that,” she said, her breath was mangled from more than just Roberts hand around her throat.

“Or what,” Robert said and pushed Alec aside. “You say you have no training,” Robert sneered, he leaned down to hiss in her ear. “Or are you lying.”

“If we’re judging people based on their parents,” Alec muttered to Robert. “Then take me away in cuffs.”

Then Robert’s hand slipped into his pocket (almost unnoticed) and Alec’s head throbbed with pain, indescribable like it was rooted in Alec’s being, it was. It was a tightening of his leash, pulled taut against his skin. Like a flash, it was over, before Alec could collapse.  

Robert put a hand on Alec’s shoulder, it didn’t steady him if anything it was like a claw that dug into his shoulder. “Alright, son?”

And he caused it. “Yeah.” Alec stepped back, half of his own will and half like a puppet walked on its strings.

“Prepare her for Idris”, Robert didn’t drop Alec’s gaze, it was predatory, swords of fire disguised in silken sheaths. “Gently.”

Alec stepped back and faded into the shadows, his years of training taught that. How much of it, at the manor, late nights training with his father, how much of it was training him to be Robert’s personal weapon, how much time did he spend training, shaping Alec like a seraph blade.

Alec walked back through the hallways. He shook, trembled with the aftershocks of the control, he clung to the memories like clinging to dreams, like sand through fingertips and pain like tearing yourself apart and scraping nails against a wall of obsidian.

Alec opened the door to his bedroom and shut the door just as quickly, he slumped down with his back against the door. He had ran away, he was a coward.

Alec pulled at his hair, this time he deserved the pain. Alec pried his hands from his hair, he was tired of pain, even the faded memory of the pain was too much to bear. He felt like he’d been hollowed out. Like he wasn’t fully human, only a shell. The strings were attached to him, held in his master’s hand ripped _things_ from him and he wasn’t human anymore. Alec clutched at Jace through the bond, Jace didn’t understand but was there, _I_ became _we._ Jace pulled the strings against him so taught they almost snapped but they didn’t, they seemed to lessen with Jace there.

It was pathetic to be needy like this, clinging like a child after a nightmare. Jace doesn’t care, he never cares.

Alec calmed down after a few minutes but he felt disgusting, not whole. Jace’s confusion washed over him, he must have felt some of the pain, he must have had to stop to deal with it, but he wasn’t angry, he was confused.

Alec can’t tell him like this and wished for him to be _here to tell him-get over here-important-important-get here now._ Alec went to text Isabelle to meet him in his room when he saw she’d texted him to meet him in her lab a few minutes ago.  

* * *

 The Lightwoods stood in a circle under the bright lights of the lab. Screens shined and flashed, the lab was clear of anyone else. Checked twice.

Alec crossed his arms over his chest. “I need to tell you guys something.”

Isabelle shook her ponytail off her shoulder and stared up at him with a raised eyebrow. “No shit and I have something for you guys too.”

“What is happening to us?” Jace asked softly his eyes on Alec. “You can’t go on like this.”

“There is something in my head,” Alec said. “Literally a device that is helping him control me.”

“Dad right?” Isabelle said too sure to be a guess.

“I think so.”

“What,” Jace grabbed both their shoulders and pulled them closer together. “Explain.”

“I’ve found things,” Isabelle shuddered as she spoke. “Terrible things in his notes and room. He was a member of the Circle, but he has new plans.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Alec asked.

“I didn’t know how far he got on the mind control,” she whispered. “He plans to do the same thing to Jace  he did—is doing to you.”

“Are you sure?” Jace asked, but he felt it through Alec how true it was, how Alec was a puppet. Now he saw how his puzzle was solved. But disbelief lingered.

“Yes.”

“We won’t let that happen,” Alec said and lifted his arms around Jace and Isabelle, she did the same and it was a Lightwood huddle. They would do this as kids, they still do it now before anything important. “I swear it on everything I am, on us.”

“On us,” his siblings echoed. It was sealed as sure as blood dripped on an Altar and words said before the Angel.  It forged a weapon greater than Robert’s, made out of trust and love, sharper were their minds together and strong, as their building rage multiplied by threefold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one month, really shocking but at least I did it. Thank you guys for reading and hope you liked it


	9. Dulce Bellum Inexpertis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dulce Bellum Inexpertis means war is sweet to the inexperienced.
> 
> I live.  
> Sorry for the long wait but life hit me like a ton of bricks and I decided to do a one-shot and start another small multi-chapter fic but that's on pause for now. I just hit a wall with this one for a hot minute but I got my mojo back
> 
> So the show is over but that doesn't mean you’re free of me yet lol. As long as like one person is reading this fic I'll keep writing it.

 

He felt like a puppet in human skin, his strings moved him with Jace and Isabelle out of the lab, one foot in front of the other. He thinks he is in his right mind now but would he really able to tell. He can’t get the feeling of being a puppet out of his head. He shuffled through memories, tried desperately to remember when it all started, when he started losing time and energy and his thoughts were scattered.

“We’ll fix this,” Isabelle said, she had the trademark Lightwood stubbornness and Alec was thankful for it.

“Yeah,” Jace agreed and he reached through the bond and Alec let him, let Jace curl around him, soothe the sharp cuts inside his head. “We’re Lightwoods.”

Alec didn’t smile, it felt too fake even for a man who masquerades every day. Isabelle’s red painted lips twitched up.

“We can’t just attack Da—Robert,” Isabelle corrected, she ran a hand over her electrum whip where it curled around her wrist like a snake. “He has a lot of support, a New Circle if you will.”

“That may have the Mortal Cup,” Jace added and smoothed his hair back.

“Yeah, but they don’t want to put all their eggs in one basket. All reported uses of the Cup have failed to create Shadowhunters, only _forsaken,”_ Isabelle looked around, it was always best when talking secrets to be normal. Walking and talking is normal, being huddled in a lap whispering isn't, and in a time of crisis leaving for long isn’t considered good etiquette. “There were letters in his office talking about how much hate they have for the Downworld and vague outlines for devices but nothing else.”

“Wait when did you snoop through his office?” Alec asked.

“When we were in Idris for the wedding.”

“Why were you in his office?”

“I was looking for a loophole in his arrangement for you and Magnus, there was none.”

“Speaking of Magnus,” Alec once again checked the empty halls. “He said this thing could be multigenerational. Robert’s mom was a Branwell, and this,” he pointed to his head. “Is a complex device.”

“The Brawnwells were shut down.”

“Officially, but  maybe they kept going underground.”

Isabelle wrung her hands together. “I’ve heard rumors that some of the Shadowhunter scientists have worked with mundane scientists.”

A month ago Alec would have shaken his head and said it was a senseless theory. Hell, a week ago he might’ve. “We can’t go to mundane scientists looking for answers, they’ll ask questions and leak information to others, it could cause chaos. Not unless we have names and locations.”

Jace was watching him with an odd expression. “Are we sure about this.”

“Come on Jace,” Isabelle said. “They were apart of the circle and gave Alec away for marriage when he was a toddler,” she shook her head. “Nothing is out of the question.”

“I’m in,” Jace said quickly. “I j—” Jace pressed his lips together and the boy Clary was with came walking down the hall.

“Oh, hi,” Simon said, his eyes flickered over the siblings and the hall. “Um me and Clary have been told to stay here and not to go anywhere, not that we could all the doors have guards and—” he turned to Izzy and Alec remembered he hadn’t met her. “Hi um are you two—” he gestured between Isabelle and Alec—“twins.”

“No,” Isabelle said and her stance slacked as he relaxed, Simon was no threat. “I’m Isabelle Lightwood. Alec’s younger sister,” she held out a hand.

“Simon,” he accepted the hand and shook it gently. “Lewis,” he added. “Simon Lewis.”

Alec rolled his eyes when Isabelle giggled.

“Well, Simon,” Isabelle said. Alec could tell she was flirting but her heart wasn’t in it. “You really are going through a lot. Why don’t I take you to your room and get you some nice hot soup.”

“We could use his help,” Jace pointed out. He didn’t stop staring at Simon, his arms crossed over his chest but Jace wasn’t too tense. “We may need, Clary.”

“Maybe,” Alec ran a hand over his face. “But would can a half-shadowhunter do?”

“It’s not what she can do. It’s what she knows,” Isabelle said before Jace could speak. “She may not know anything but the—” Isabelle raised her fingers for air quotes—“New Circle won’t believe that. They mostly would think that Jocelyn was still loyal to Valentine.”

“We don’t know if she was loyal to him or not,” Alec said. He always had to be the person of reason among his siblings.

Isabelle put her hands on her hips. "So she would hide her daughter and herself away from the New Circle and why would the wolfpack and the other Downwolder survivors lie?"

"It doesn’t matter," Jace said he crossed his arms and both Isabelle and Jace were waiting for Alec's call.

Alec weighed his options. Both could end in life or death."They could also use Simon as bait or a bargaining chip. The Circle has some high ranking officials that could pull strings to get a talk with Clary."

Simon paled. "They're gonna what now."

"Don’t worry, much to Jace’s delight you’re with us," Isabelle said with a smirk and Alec knew that with or without a parabatai bond she knew Jace.

Jace rolled his eyes."I was just thinking of the mission," he said and he was only fooling himself.

"Mission?" Simon sounded confused, excited, and terrified all at once. "There is going to be a mission. That is so cool—"

"Do you have an off switch?" Alec interrupted. Simon looked like a kicked puppy but Alec had work to do. "We need to plan the mission."

"So there is going to be a mission," Simon said, way too confident for someone with no powers other than nerdiness.

"Yes," Isabelle said, Alec could see the gears turning. "But we need to think it out, " Isabelle's fingers touched her whip, a nervous habit. "We may only have one shot. The element of surprise is our most valuable asset."

"That and me and my good looks, " Jace said with his usual arrogance and then some. Alec let it slide with only an eye roll from him. Jace was just trying to lighten the mood. Well, that and flirt and feed his massive ego.

Isabelle laughed and Simon, still very much flushed all over his face and neck, looked at the ground.

"We don’t have time for this, " Alec reminded Jace.

Jace shrugged, acting innocent. "Isabelle just said not to rush."

"I’m so confused, " Simon said with a finger raised. "What is happening?"

Jace raised an eyebrow. "Are you in?" he asked.

Simon stared at the floor."Do I really have a choice?" he asked the floor.

"Yes, " Isabelle said and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"No," Alec said because he felt like being nice And the nicest thing to do for a confused person is to lay it all out for them. In simple terms too, for mundanes at least. "Do you want to help Clary?"

"And possibly the world," Jace added.

Simon, to his credit, looked Alec right in the eye. "Why not," he said in a voice that sounded like he's already thought of the ways this could go wrong.

"No promises you won’t die," Jace said. He wasn't wrong.

Simon looked paler than a ghost. "I might regret it later but, yeah, I’m in."

"This has to keep a secret," Alec said, he towered over the hunched over Simon. "Probably from Clary too."

"The first rule of Fight Club is there is no Fight Club," Simon said and it must have made sense to him since he looked calm by the notion. "So yeah I'll join your super secret boyband."

"Hey I'm here," Isabelle laughed, a smile on her face.

Alec signed." Whatever" he pointed at Simon. "Come with us."

Jace smiled. "You’re with the cool kids now.”

"Great,” Simon said and swallowed visibly.

They walked in silence down the halls. Simon buzzed with nervousness and confusion, Alec could feel it in the air. He felt Jace’s strange emotions, Jace wanted to be there with Alec the bond was more open than both of them usually prefer, he can feel Jace’s interest and it can’t be because of Clary.

He knew Jace must feel his own _trust_ and _interest_ for a certain sparkly warlock. They both had feelings they didn’t want the other to know of but Alec was hurting and Jace wanted to be there. Alec knew he could pull away and hid from the bond at any moment so he had the decency not to say anything.

Jace reached for Alec's arm. "Alec," he warned and tugged at it. Alec snapped out of his thoughts and came to attention.

Simon grabbed Jace’s arm and hid behind it, almost on instinct (pretty quick for a mundane but it was still to hide)  Isabelle’s whip slithered down to her hand. Alec and Jace reached for their daggers.

Robert rounded the corner and right behind him Clary, who looked terrified, Robert’s dagger was held loosely in his hand, it glowed with a bluish hue, it looked like glass but Alec knew it was his ceremonial light adamas dagger. He had gotten it for becoming _parabatai_ with Michael Wayland. Alec and Jace got similar twin daggers for their bond. Isabelle had no light adamas. According to Robert, she hasn’t done anything worthy enough to earn it. She still proudly wore her dark adamas dagger, gifted from her brothers when she had her first kill.

Isabelle held her whip in one hand and the dagger in the other. She didn't drop her fighting stance. "Sorry, you scared us," her voice was light but Alec knew the stain it took for her not the deck him.

Robert seemed unfazed by the weapons. His own still held at his side. "Here he is, unhurt and well," he gestured to Simon, annoyed and watching Clary like she really was a criminal.  

Clark looked two seconds from tears. "Thank you," she said.

"Isabelle, Alec, Jace, look through her apartment,”  he ordered, business like usual. "bring the boy and make sure he stays out of trouble.

"Um, sir, what’s going to happen to me?" Simon asked.  

"We will be discussing that while you’re gone," Robert said kept a hand on Clary's shoulder. It was already red from the nail marks. She was unable to look away from the weapon.

Alec sighed. "So we get to babysit a mundane little boy and look through an apartment? We’re soldiers—"

"—Exactly, " Robert said and he was buying Alec's act. He would love nothing more than to leave. "Isabelle can look for evidence and leads as to who sent the forsaken and you and Jace can watch her back and get the mundane out of my hair. Are there any more arguments?"

"No," Alec dropped his head like a good boy and clasped his hands behind his back.

'All good here," Jace said.

Isabelle nodded. "I’ll get some equipment, then we can go."

Simon didn't move he looked like a statue."What’s going to happen to Clary?"

"Interrogation," Robert pulled Clary closer and held his dagger up. He flipped it with Jace-like arrogance. "If she’s telling the truth she'll be fine."

"I think I’ve just gotten my _Hogwarts letter_ ," Clary shrugged. "A little late."

Simon cracked a smile. "You’re basically going to jail, though."

"I’ll be fine. My mom...was...innocent. I know it."

"She also lied to you about this whole thing," Simon pointed out. Alec didn't know what Hogwarts was but he watched amused by the friends.

"She did it to protect me," Clary smirked and shook her head so her fiery red hair fell back. "It’s usual for the parent to have a secret identity but I think she did it to keep me safe."

"I think so too," Simon stepped forward, some of his lightness had returned. "I don’t understand this place, this whole secret world, but it seems scary."

"Alright that’s enough," Robert pulled Clary back and turned her around. "Let’s go, Miss. Morgenstern. If you cooperate I’ll do all I can to make sure you’re little friend is okay."

Alec couldn’t take his eyes of Robert, his hand curled around the dagger and another gripped Clary’s shoulder, a constant reminder of his strength. Clary hunched over as if it took all her strength to talk to Simon, she stumbled down the hall with Robert. Alec couldn’t relax, he waited for the pain, the buzzing like cicadas in his head, the knives that cut away at his mind but it never came.

Their fingertips didn’t leave their weapons as they walked to the storage room and Isabelle grabbed a bag. Simon asked a million question that Jace brushed off with a reminded that _fight club_ had to to be a secret.

Once they got out of the Institute Alec knew they weren’t entirely free but it still was easier to breathe under the late afternoon sun. Jace quietly filled Simon in as they walked.

Simon stopped walking, still very pale. “So wait, let me get this straight, Alec’s only sometimes mind controlled and when he is he has almost no memories or being mind controlled.”

Alec stopped and crossed his arms. “It not like he’s talking in my head, certain buzzing means certain things,” Alec wanted to forget being on Magnus’ floor in pain, his head splitting and he could hardly think.

Simon frowned, he pushed his glasses up higher on his nose. “How often does it happen?”

“It’s been for frequent,” Alec didn’t say more painful because he didn’t deserve to know of Alec’s pain. “And have I mentioned that I don’t remember. I could be doing things while I think I’m sleeping.”

“But sometimes you remember?” Simon asked he fixed his glasses again even though they didn’t need to be fixed.

“Yes,” Alec turned away from Simon and started to walk again, too fast for the mundane “He’s planning something. Something big.”

“Oh my God, and he has Clary,” Simon ran to catch up with him, his puppy dog brown eyes were filled with panic.

Alec stopped, taking pity on the mundane. “So you need to trust us and keep your mouth shut.”

Jace appeared beside Simon, he moved soundlessly. “We don’t know how many eyes and ears he had around the city.”

“So what’s the plan?” Simon asked.

Isabelle comes up beside Alec, even wearing heels she managed to sneak up on them. “He clearly has been planning this for quite some time we need to be just as patient when planning.”

Simon fixed his glasses again.”Okay, that makes sense,” he said and dropped his gaze to the ground the real weight of what they were doing seemed to hit him. This wasn’t _fight club,_ not that Alec knew what that was.

Isabelle smiled. “See, he’s not so bad.” She was talking about Simon but to Alec, it sounded like she was talking about a puppy she wanted to keep.

Simon jogged to catch up to the fast-moving  Shadowhunters. “Thank you,” Simon pointed left as they turned right. “I also know you just made a wrong turn. The train stop—”

“Short cut,” Alec interrupted, remarkably calm considering the annoying mundane with them.

They walked in silence for a while, to the train stop and as they got on and rode to Brooklyn. They found the brownstone apartment easy enough and Simon looked like a ghost, his eyes kept drifting to where Jocelyn's body had lain in a bed of blood. Alec felt a twinge of pity for Simon, he was dumb and practically useless beyond his bond with Clary and the possibility that he knows something about Valentine because of his closeness with Clary.

Alec turned away from Simon and tested the door, it was locked shut. Alec reached for his style but Jace took a step back and kicked the door open.

Simon opened and closed his mouth. “What the hell,” Simon managed after a moment. He dug through his pockets and held out a glint of silver. “I have a spare key.”

Isabelle smacked Jace lightly on the shoulder, although she looked pleased. “Show off.”

Alec rolled his eyes. “Idiot,” he said mostly to himself. “What if someone heard?”

“It’s fine,” Jace shrugged and moved to stand against the door and with a sweeping arm gestured for them to enter. Alec pushed past Isabelle and he drew his bow and loaded an arrow, just as fast Jace had a sword in his grasp and Isabelle, with a flash of a stele, held her whip in hand.

They all aimed at the woman who stood in the center of the apartment, the couch was tipped on its side, the wooden end table in pieces, pictures on the floor and glass shattered. The kitchen tucked away in the corner was in a similar state, broken chairs and smashed glasses.

She wore a draped long sleeved rich-blue silk that touched the floor, overlaid with golden chains and big golden earrings that brushed her shoulders that matched the thick golden necklace that laid over her collarbones. Her hair was wrapped in a short blue silken headscarf and spun in a twisted bun atop her head. Her bronze skin was adored jewelry, golden rings, and bracelets, black powder framed her eyes and red traced her lips. She was older then the eccentric look may suggest, with wrinkles and lines of age on her face.

She turned to face them and didn’t even flinch. She clearly wasn’t here to clean up.

“Madame Dorothea,” Simon said from behind the Lightwoods. He struggled past the confused hunters and took in the ruined apartment. “What are you doing here?”

Madame Dorothea could see them, maybe not their weapons since mundanes saw what they wanted to see. They all dropped their stances.

“What happened?” she asked in a rich voice, a hint of an accent was in her voice but she mostly sounded like Brooklyn residents.

“I don’t know,” Simon admitted, he crept forward, careful not to step on the shattered wood and picture frames. Alec let it all unfold, she was a mundane no threat here.

“They why are you with Raziel’s Children?”

Alec retook his stance, his arrow trained on her. His instincts screamed for him fire but he held the string of his bow back.

“The runes show above your collars,” Madame Dorothea answered the question Alec had left unasked. “My mom was a warlock, she taught me all about the Shadow-Word.”

Simon stood between the hunters and Madame Dorothea looking as confused a usual. “Did you know Miss. F was—”

“A Shadowhunter?” Madame Dorothea picked up a pottery bowl that managed to stay intact during the fight and tossed it over by the hallway. “Yes. She told me.”

“What are you doing here?” Alec demanded again.

“I wanted to see for myself,” she seemed unfazed by Alec’s harsh tone. “Jocelyn warned me this day may come. She was paranoid this would happen, well I guess not paranoid since she was right to prepare,” she looked around again, at the broken pieces and the shattered window. “The Nephilim are keeping the police out of this?”

“Yes.”

“Good,” she said and picked up her long dress in ringed fingers, she lifted the dress off the ground and carefully made it out of the heap of broken wood and glass. “Will there be a funeral?”

Alec wondered for a second how close the two women were. “She is considered disgraced.”

“So no,” Madame Dorothea shook her head. She moved gracefully toward Simon and cupped his face in her hands. “Poor boy,” she cooed. “Come with me.” She turned with a flow of her silks and Alec stepped back to let her pass.

“I can’t come with you,” Simon called after her. “I have to—”

“I didn’t just mean, you,” Madame Dorothea said. One hand braced on the door and the other rested on the handle. “The Shadowhunters may come with me. I want to help find who did this to Jocelyn.”

* * *

 

From what Alec could tell the layout  Dorothea’s apartment was identical to Jocelyn’s but what she filled it with was much different. Mismatched decor, charts and patterned drapes on the walls, books on the tables and even floor. Beaded curtains hung at the doors, blues, and reds mixed with some black.

The smell of incense nearly choked Alec.

“No offense,” Jace said in a way that made it clear that he was going to say something offensive. “But how can you help?”

Isabelle gave him a look and shook her head. “What he means is; do you know anything that can help?”

Dorothea clicked her tongue and without answering vanished behind the beaded curtain and in a few seconds came back with a man. He was taller than she was, almost as tall as Alec himself. He had brown skin and short black hair, the most interesting thing about him was that he was wearing an NYPD police uniform. His badge and gun were secured on his belt.

“Luke,” Simon said. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Luke sidestepped the question and Alec has put away his bow to be civil but he, Jace, and Isabelle, all reached for the daggers they always kept on them.

“Shadowhunters, this is Luke Garroway officer of the NYPD and the New York werewolf pack,” Dorothea introduced. “Luke this is—what are your names.”

“Jace Wayland.”

“Isabelle Lightwood.”

“Alec,” was he still a Lightwood. He was the first born son he had to keep his name. “Lightwood.”

Luke took the time to shake all their hands and give Simon a very parental glare and a warm hug.

“You okay,” Luke whispered in Simon’s ear as they hugged.

“No. But I will be,” Simon said just a quiet but Alec had his hearing rune activated. They pulled apart and Luke clapped Simon’s shoulder and went to stand beside Dorothea. Simon lingered between the two groups of people.

Alec didn’t want to think about the difference between these two men, who weren’t related by blood yet had a bond better than Alec and his own father. Now wasn’t the time to dwell, they had to get the promised information or even better evidence.

“What do you have for us?” Jace asked and Alec could feel him losing patience. “And please for my sake be evidence.”

Isabelle stepped back and squared her shoulders, she flicked her whip and took it in her other hand and wrapped it around her shoulders like it’s a scarf. It was also in both hands ready to be used and Luke and Dorothea got the threat.

Luke and Dorothea looked at each other and from Luke took out an evidence bag stuck together with a black substance  Alec recognized it as the same substance that the _forsaken_ that attacked Jace had in its fingernails.

He handed it to Isabelle. “Jocelyn had used her panic button and I came rushing, two Shadowhunters took the body but on the ground, some of this was there.”

“Did you use gloves?” Isabelle asked already scanning the bag,

“Yes, and sanitized tools,” Luke said. “I’ve seen CSI’s at work.” Luke searched through his pockets and pulled out a silver ring with the Fairchild F and engraved in a bed of black and white roses that flowered around the ring. “Can you give this to Clary, if you get the chance,” Luke handed it to Simon. “She’s alright, the shadowhunters won’t put her in, they have ways of telling if a person is innocent.”

The Soul Sword. Alec has never touched it but has heard it’s incredibly painful and sometimes they ask unimportant questions about personal things to further break the person in question.

Jace glanced at his forearm. There was minimal scarring on his arm but still marks of the strange black burning that covered his arm and shoulder.

“We need to get this to the lab,” Isabelle said.

“Not the Institute.” Alec didn’t know who he could trust. “We need to go to Magnus’.”

“Magnus Bane?” Dorothea asked. Alec nodded. “Well,” she continued. “you should since he’s the one who blocked Clary’s memories of the sight.”

* * *

 

Dorothea and Luke stayed back once they promised to keep them filled in and soon they were at the door of Magnus’ apartment knocking against the black door and two white strips on the top and bottom.

Magnus opened the door and he changed his outfit from earlier, to a crisp red long sleeved shirt with twisted golden strings going across his shirt from buttons and to his shoulders paired with too tight black pants and red dress shoes. His makeup matched, red eyeshadow and black lines framed his eyes and highlighter over his cheekbones.

Alec forced himself to not take eternity looking Magnus over. “Magnus,” he said a greeting.

Magnus looked his crew over and opened the door further. “Alexander.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you blocked Clary Fairchild’s memories?” Alec kept his voice calm but he was almost angry. He had trusted Magnus. A half demon man. He should’ve known better.

Magus reeled back as if he was struck. He collected himself stepped away from the door into the living room. “Excuse me?”

“Clary, you blocked her memories of the sight.” Alec had no reason to believe Dorothea’s word over Magnus’ but he felt like it was true. In New York, there was no way Clary didn’t see something of the Shadow-Word.

“Oh no I heard what you said,” Magnus said calmly he stepped closer to Alec. “I just want to know what you really think of me huh. That I’m some lying demon scum. I suppose you won’t believe me when I say I was going to.”

“You didn’t think that would be important information,” Alec’s voice rose a little but he quickly schooled his voice and his features.

“I would also admit I know Jocelyn was still alive,” Magnus said. “But I was going to tell you. I was when that was the biggest thing to worry about. Then you collapsed in pain.”

Alec shook his head. The fire in his rage burned out a little and why was he letting his emotions rule his head. Maybe he should give Magnus the benefit of the doubt, he's technically Alec’s husband.  From an arranged marriage but shouldn’t that mean something. It should mean his loyalty, his trust, his respect, _his love._

He hates that he was arranged in a marriage since he was a child but Shadowhunter’s were arranged to families all the time. It was wrong to take away Alec’s choice but he would never marry for love not with his family. At least it was a man, something Alec would never have.

It is what it is and Alec clenched his fists and hung his head. “I’m sorry.”

Magnus looked taken back and Alec noticed that they were very close. The rage and disgust burned out just as quick as it had ignited.

Magnus stepped back—out of respect—and turned back to the crowd of people waiting in the doorway. “What do you need.”

Isabelle held up the evidence bag, stuck together with the black substance. “I don’t know who to trust at the Institute,” she said. “Alec said you could help. It’s from Jocelyn's crime scene.”

Magnus waved his hand and in clouds of blue spoke a microscope and other tools Alec didn’t recognize appeared. He looked back at Alec.

“Thank you,” Isabelle said. “I owe you one.”

Magnus nodded and his eyes were trained on Alec and they were still so close. “Can I talk to you for a moment.”

Alec nodded and followed Magnus into his office. A desk was tucked in the corner, covered in papers and pens. The shelves were stacked with jars of unknown things and other object littered the table.

“It’s not poison,” Magnus told him.

“What?” Alec asked he clasped his hands behind his back and pulled his focus from Magnus’ body.

“The vial, it’s not poison.”

“Then what is it?”

“According to the Spiral Court it’s a slow acting drug that will be highly addictive but if you stop taking it the body will never recover,” Magnus didn’t look scared he just looked a little tired. Alec couldn’t imagine how bad he must look.

“Like _yin fen.”_

“A little, that can be cured in the beginning stages and even in the end with Silent Brother runes. This is for the Downworld and after one dose there will be permanent changes in temperament and advancements in powers but it will decay the body and the user can only last so long before it becomes lethal.”

Alec dropped Magnus’ gaze, he tried not to blame himself but it was his father. “I’m sorry.”

“This one isn’t your fault,” Magnus said. “We also could be a little off, those were just simulations but it’s definitely something like that.”

“Why did you want to talk to me in private. I can trust the others.”

“I know. Out meeting with the Seelie Queen has been pushed back for a new one.”

“A secret one," Alec guessed. He hoped his team would be okay.

“Just so,” Magnus spun on a heel and with and cross and an extension of his arms a portal opened in front of them. “We are going to the Spiral Labyrinth.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Light adamas is like the blades from season 1 of the show and the book canon. It is very valuable and not as practical to train with so most Shadowhunters just use dark adamas.
> 
> Dark adamas is easier to make, it’s more stretched out than the light adamas so more can come from one harvest of adamas. 
> 
> Both work pretty much the same and feel only slightly different to Shadowhunters but to preserve adamas light adamas blades are only made for special occasions.
> 
> Cicadas are insects that are known for their high pitched singing that the males use as a mating call.
> 
> As for the references (there will be much more in later chapters if you want a reference to a certain nerdy thing hit me up in the comments):
> 
> Super Secret Boyband is what Tony Stark calls the idea of the Avengers in Iron Man 2 when Nick Fury shows up and he thinks that what he's here to talk about.
> 
> For the like two people who don’t know Hogwarts is a wizardry and witchcraft school and students get their letters around age 11.
> 
> Don't worry Dorothea and Luke will be back to play.
> 
> In the books the Fairchild ring has Fairy wings on it for fair but I changed it to roses because I like it better that way, roses symbolize balance, it expresses promise, hope, and new beginnings and also they are red in real life (not on the ring) and you know red hair. 
> 
> The Spiral Labernith is like the Warlock version of Idris—the central home of warlock magical research and knowledge. It is considered the underground headquarters of the world's warlocks and many Shadowhunters don’t believe it’s an actual place more of a moving place that is anywhere the Warlocks meet up but trust me it is and Warlocks are very secretive about it so the rest of the crew don’t get to know.
> 
> So unless I get crazy again and work on two more side projects I have an updating schedule. Since I have a busy long weekend I got this chapter up early I will post every other Friday-Sunday depending on chapter size. So the next chapter will be up around June 2nd and I'm going tease some action scenes and some more loving for certain charters and our first POV split. 
> 
> This is unbeta'd and I'm always open to a beta reader. If ya’ll want it to talk to me about anything really my Tumblr is @bread-loving-fangirl and a bit of a gamble but my email is annhamilton1107@gmail.com


	10. Non Sum Qualis Eram

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Non Sum Qualis Eram” means “I am not such as I was”
> 
> Unbeta’d as usual.
> 
> Drinking challenge: take a shot every time the word spiral is used.

 

 

The portal spun around him, for a moment he thought he was trapped in limbo. But he had a hand on Magnus’ shoulder. Blue and white, like threads of silk, spiraled around them, weaved around each other. 

Alec’s runes  _ burned,  _ like fiery bands over him. Embers hitting his skin. He looked over at Magnus but the blue and white burst into a rainbow of translucent colors, red, gold, blue, green, purple, orange, yellow, white, black and some more, all thin strands.

The stream of colors grew brighter and brighter and Alec curled his hand tighter on Magnus’ bicep and closed his eyes tightly, unable to look upon the glowing stands of magic that shone like stars. 

Behind his eyelids, he could still see the brightening magic. A hand wrapped around his wrist and it took Alec a moment to remember Magnus. Magnus who’d taken Alec’s wrist of the hand that clutched at Magnus’ arm. His runes had stopped burning but a shock of electricity ran up his arm from Magnus’ touch.

“Open your eyes,” Magnus whispered. Alec, unable not to follow Magnus’ whispered order, opened his eyes, not to burning brightness—it was bright but bearable—but a beautiful array of magic. Not around them. Besides Alec’s feet. Flowing in streams of colors that  Alec had never seen magic be. 

It’s rows of them, thick, flowing, the many colored streams of magic that stretched across a vast floor of obsidian, and diamond. Light and dark contrasted, the rainbow of colors flowed on the beds of obsidian and pathways were like millions of diamonds connected with magic to make a floor, they shimmered and reflected with the colors of the rainbow streams of magic.

And Alec could see why it was called the _ Spiral _ Labyrinth.

All the streams came into a giant ring in the center of the large floor, but part of that circle curved out and the spiral started. It wound until it created a small pool at the center. A giant spiral with many straight lines going in all directions on its outer ring. 

Once Alec pried his eyes from the spectacular floor he noticed the walls. Towering walls around the large circular floor, not made of diamonds but of gold and smooth white marble. The gold and white weave between stain glass windows, paintings, and carving depicting many different scenes. From dark creatures to light adamas to fair folk. From the floor to as high as Alec see. The white of the wall is rare.

The ceiling is like space, golden strands over a blue-black background, forming galaxies, spiral and full of stars.   

It’s everything, Alec realized. The Warlock's history marked on the wall in a language that will never die. 

Alec doesn’t know if this is all the Spiral Labyrinth is, there could be great rooms full of spell books the Clave could never imagine. But it must be the center. 

“They’re ley lines,” Magnus said, snapping Alec out of his haze. Alec turned to look at Magnus, he still had his hand on Magnus’ arm and Magnus still held his rune covered wrist, where the Wedded Union Rune stood out stark against his skin. “The only place where they are visible.”

Alec let loose Magnus’ arm and crouched down to stare at the thin strands of colors that made up the ley lines. “Is it magic?” 

“Yes,” Magnus said. “We draw almost all of power from the ley lines that run over the Earth.” 

“Where else can you draw power from?” 

“It doesn’t matter,” Magnus brushed him off with a wave of a hand. “Being around them amplify magic. This is the Spiral Court, there are other rooms in the labyrinth but this is the main gathering place.”

They walked along the lines for a while.

“They are supposed to be a grid,” Alec recalled his lessons about Warlocks, their marks, names of those against the Clave, their system of ley lines that have magic flow around the world. 

“They are but this is the center, where all the ley lines pass through the special center to say potent and pure of other influence,” Magnus pulled Alec back by his bicep. “Don’t get too close, it’s said to be able to burn Angelic Runes off.” 

Alec’s heart stopped. He imagined the pain of falling to the ley line. He’s never seen a deruning, but they are said to be humiliating and painful. Magnus could push him in, ruin him, take away everything he is, cause him great pain. But he doesn’t and besides a fleeting thought, Alec doesn’t think he will. 

He trusts Magus. 

“Has it ever happened?” 

Magnus laughed. “You’re one of the only Shadowhunters to enter here.”

Something in Alec surged, a small piece of pride to be of the select few to enter. “Where is here? Like is it in Canada?” 

“Pocket dimension.” Magnus looked around. “Don’t be too honored, if the warlocks want to meet you here, terrible times lay ahead of us.” 

Alec nodded. It was beautiful here but it was like the calm before the storm, the beautiful quiet that is almost peaceful. Magnus walked forward, towards the giant spiral and Alec feels like a puzzle piece that doesn’t fit.

His runes still tingle, the  _ awareness  _ rune is buzzing and Alec can’t relax, even though Magnus looks at ease, posture perfect but he has this aura that may actually be magic but it gives Magnus air of confidence and belonging. 

Alec sometimes would spend months in Idris but the Glass City has never felt like home, he’s never been comfortable there. Even when staying in the Lightwood Manor he felt like a guest. An intruder out of New York. 

A sparking portal of many colors opens in front on them. Right before the spiral. Two people step out. They are arm in arm. Two women. One has hair like spun glass,  clear and tinted white and curled tightly, it reached long down her back. Her skin is bronze and she wears red, a smooth silken dress with a v-neck that clings to her plentiful curves and brushed the ground and a slit that went up to her thigh. She had on red eyeshadow too that matched her painted lips. 

If she another mark beside her hair she must hide it in his company. 

The other has red eyes, not just pupils her entire eye socket is a bright red, her long black eyelashes have a touch of golden sparkles that match the eyeshadow she has. Her lips are painted with a light pink and a white gloss over it. Her skin is black and she is almost glowing. Her hair is pulled back into a tight braid and a golden headband that has a golden chain drips into the braid. Her arms are covered with golden bands, on her forearms and stacked on her upper arms. She is in a white dress, thin straps, and a lower neckline and it’s short with handkerchief cut and her shoes are white heels with many straps. 

Alec looked over at Magnus who had a bright smile on his face.

“Atarah and Fabia Riot,” Magnus stepped forward in long strides and met the two for a hug. “Or have you changed your last name again.” 

“No,” the woman with the red eyes said. “We deiced on Riot.” 

“It’s fitting. But I mean we’ve never been banned from a country,” the glass haired woman said. “So how many riots have we really caused.” 

“Uganda,” Magnus suggested and Alec moved forward so he was standing a few feet behind Magnus. “Dubi, remember the….”

“Oh is this your hubby,” the red-eyed woman said and smirked at the other woman. “I’m Atarah,” her hand pointed to herself and Alec noticed she had on a silver ring with a bed of diamonds and a blue gem in the center. On her ring finger. 

He looked over the who he assumed was Fabia, and she had a matching ring. Both were Riot. They must be married. 

“And this—” Atarah pointed to her partner. “Is my wife Fabia,” she smiled at Fabia, her teeth were the perfect white. “We’re experts on neuroscience.” 

Fabia nodded. “The rest should be here soon.” 

“We were told to come early to check you out before you met with the others.” Atarah snapped and sparks of rich purple magic slid over her fingers and settled in her palm. “Come closer, Mr. Lightwood.” 

“Call me Alec,” he said almost in instinct and stepped forward so he was eye to eye to Atatah, who in her heels was around the same height. Fabia was a little shorter. 

“As you wish,” Atarah put a hand on his head and Alec felt the magic seep into his head. Everything inside him screamed for him to run but he held still as a practically unknown woman uses her magic on him. 

Atarah pulled her hand back and a magic hologram-like image of his brain. The brain was purple and there were two black masses in it, that Alec assumed were devices his father put in him. Town near the front of his brain, one near the top and one lower. And another one near the back. Fabia moved closer to her wife, her mouth opened a bit.

The one near the back had a tail of that went down the brainstem and intertwined with what Alec knew were vital parts of the lower part of his brain. He smoothed a hand over his head, he couldn’t feel it.

They were both probably small in real life but in the scan, they seemed huge. 

Fabia put her hand on Atarah’s shoulder and Atarah just stared at the image, her red eyes glowing wasn’t disturbing per se, they just look very concentrated. Fabia whispered in Atarah’s ear and Atarah whispered back. It went on for several moments.

“Is there a way to remove it,” Magnus asked. “You’re better at the brain and mechanical stuff than I am.” 

“No,” they both said at the same time.

Fabia pushed the scan back and zoomed in on it. “Well the risk is great, even if we do remove it will have lasting effects, from head pain to memory loss and loss of motor functions is likely, I know it already causes pain, from what you’ve said, and memory loss but if we try to remove it, it will cause far worse damage.”

Alec nodded. “So the best way to stop it is too shut down what's controlling it,” Alec suggested, he knew a little about science. 

“What about how he’s able to fight the control now?” Magnus asked his blue magic pulled the scanned image over and gazed at it. 

Atarah pursued her lips and played with her wedding ring, twisting and twisting it. “My best guess is that it’s the product of a lot of conditioning. Brainwashing for each kind of buzz, you can tell by the little circles on the outside of the device, so one at a certain frequency means to attack, one means to stop. Any use converts the brain to...to put it simply when the device is at work it’s working like instinct, no thought needed and the instincts have been shaped to follow the handler’s orders.” 

“And,” Fabia stole the scan from Magnus and spun it so Alec could see it right in front of and a tendril of golden magic pointed at a part of the brain. “It also makes sure you forget that you’re being controlled. Or that’s the intent, to create a kind of alternate personality that a buzz will put you in.  Where you will be entirely compliant.

“Different from the one Atarah described, this one is more complex,” the tendril was over the back device. “For things that need to be told, I would assume, it has different speakers and is set at the part of the brain that controls more complex ideas and reaction but still tries to block from conscious thought. ” 

“Sounds about right,” Alec muttered. “So how come now I’m aware of it.” 

“Well,” Fabia started but she paused, looking back at the scan. “It’s not a glitch, I think it’s just natural, your brain is fighting back since it’s been going on for so long your brain is building a resistance.” 

Atarah gave her wife a look of pride and love like Alec hasn’t seen. “Or something triggered you to start to be more aware. Do you have a parabatai?” 

Alec nodded, his hand brushed against the rune, soothing under his touch. “I wonder why he doesn’t have—” Alec tapped his head. 

“I don’t know,” Fabia said. “It’s not my job to know the ongoings of the bad guy Shadowhunters.” 

“Others have to have it,” Atarah pointed out and the magical hologram was shattered with a snap. “One mind controled soldier isn’t enough to take over the world.”

“How do you know this...I’m sorry Magnus what's his name?” 

“Robert Lightwood.”

“This Robert guy wants to rule the world.” 

Atarah crossed her arms. “They always do.” 

Fabia rolled her eyes. 

“We suspect he has some high ranking followers,” Alec said, his eyes on Magnus. “We can’t strike without knowing what we’re getting into.” 

“He could have an army of soldiers at his beck and call, ready to do anything,” Magnus added and he met Alec’s eyes. It sent a jolt down Alec’s spine and Alec knew it was foolish to get so much out of just a look. 

People look at each other all the time. 

Atarah cleared her throat and Alec and Magnus snapped their gaze from each other. “Warlocks have already gone into hiding, we can assume this new Circle rising is going to have similar gear the OG Circle had.” 

Fabia tucked a stray piece of her glass spun hair behind her ear. She closed her eye and her long eyelashes rested on her highlighted cheeks. “Gear perfectly designed to capture and kill warlocks.”

“You two should go into hiding after this,” Magnus said, he took Fabia’s hand in his and the same with Atarah. “You’re still young.” 

“Not that young,” Fabia said. 

“You both are under a hundred.” 

“I’m going to fight,” Atarah raised her head, squared her shoulders. “I may not be as skilled at combat as some, but I can’t sit back.” 

Fabia nodded next to her and took Atarah’s hand and kissed the back of it, she didn’t take her eyes off Atarah. “I’m with you till the day I die.” 

Atarah let go of Magnus’ hand to hold onto Fabia, her wife did the same, hands on hips, neck, wondering over arms. 

Atarah whispered her next words and Alec focused, unable to look away or get lost in his head. 

“Till the day I die.” 

Fabia took a long breath, her head dipped to rest on Atarah’s neck as they embraced. Right in front of him. Where anyone could see. 

“I love you,” Atarah added, breathed against Fabia’s skin and so private that Alec felt like he was intruding. 

“I love you too.” 

Atarah pulled Fabia into a kiss, her hands fell into the volume of Fabia’s hair and Fabia held onto Atarah’s waist. Alec tore his eyes away, he had always been fighting and he knows the feeling of risking who you love. 

But that's why you fight, so others can have those they love. And maybe you too can be with your loved ones.

It’s endless for him, the demons always come, but he hopes there is an end to this war. So the two fearless women get to go home (and everyone else)

He looked over at Magnus as the women break apart, they linger in each other's embrace. Magnus is closer than he remembered.

Magnus is pressed against his shoulder, their chests are only a hair's breadth apart. Alec looks down at Magnus but can’t hold his gaze and looks to the side.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of, Alexander,” Magnus murmured, so close, his lips right by Alec’s ear, so close to his mouth. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Alec said, he must be blushing hard, his heart is racing and his skin still tingles from Magnus’ breath. 

“You will,” Magnus stepped back just as Atarah and Fabia pulled back to just arms around each other. 

“Are you going to fight?” Fabia asked, her voice breathless.  

Magnus nodded. “I will help protect you, both of you.”

“Me too,” Alec said. “It isn’t much,” Alec often feels like he’s nothing compared to Magnus, the shake of the earth with power, the running ley lines. “But I’ll do anything to help make sure as many people as possible get to go home.” 

“Thank you,” Atarah said.

Alec clasped his hands behind his back and dropped his head to look at the floor. He gave a short nod but he gasped and almost fell to the ground.

“Alexander,” Magnus reached for him as he stumbled. His runes felt like they were burning off his skin. 

“My runes,” he managed and closed his eyes as he saw a burst of the ley lines and a portal open. 

“The others are here,” someone said, Alec couldn’t focus as his runes burned at the magic influx, like stars being fueled to their final stage of life before they exploded. Alec cracked open his eyes and many portals opened. Warlocks in their finest stood around and there were still more to come.

He couldn’t put on a rune to bear the pain, it would only hurt more, he became aware of every rune, how many he had. Ceremonial on his ankle, mourning on back, deflect on his neck, angelic on his arm, parabatai on his stomach, so many more all like embers fallen on his skin.

His eyes were glazed over but he saw the ley lines reach up to met the portals, wrap around them and they really could burn his runes off.

Magnus put a hand on his arm, no magic for that would only increase the magic in the room, which is like Alec had never witnessed. It’s like lightning striking right beside him.

He’s clawing at his skin as time ticks by, only minutes but it feels like hours in his agony, not only is it his runes anymore but the ley lines have so much power, demonic at its very core even though it can be used good but it’s bathing him in a fire that seeps into his bones, his being.

No matter what the deruning process is it can’t take away angel blood, he wonders if the ley lines have so much power they can unmake him.

He distantly hears talking. 

Maybe they are talking of him but portals are still opening and the ley lines have sprung to life. 

He gritted his teeth. He was a Shadowhunter in the Warlock’s home, where the magic all came together so strongly it was unbearable to him but to them, it must feel like holding a seraph-blade, that jolt of power. 

He got a small urge to kiss Magnus’ hand like he’s seen Fabia do to Atarah while staring into her red eyes.

He couldn’t. 

He patted Magnus’ arm and the portals died down and Alec straightened himself. There were more Warlocks here than Alec had ever seen.

Some didn’t want a Shadowhunters to see their marks but others didn’t hide them. Wings and horns. Claws, webbed hands, talons, tails, eyes like stars, skin blue, green, any other color and more. 

The room was still alive, crawling with power and everyone seemed to have lights under their skin. He looked up at the ceiling, a stolen part of the sky and breathed for a moment. 

“Alexander Gideon Lightwood,” a warlock said, she wore old dingy black robes  She had horns, black and angled out and high on her head, around her horns was black hair that fell to her shoulders. She stepped toward him, levitated over a ley line and long, thin fluttering black wings that looked delicate, but Alec knew they couldn’t be.

“Baba Agnieszka,” Magnus greeted but the woman paid him no heed. 

“They say there no way past the wards,” she said and she came closer to Alec. “No way without invitation, without notice, all parts are watched. Those are searched and supervised.” she took Alec’s face in her hands, they are smooth but cold, the icy hands hold his face in place. “So how would a  _ forsaken  _ get in.” 

“I know. Someone on the inside made sure no sensors picked up on the entry and one got altered.” He didn’t want to think of how many people Robert would need on the inside to make that happen. 

“But you don’t,” she whispered. “You don’t know all.”

“What do you know?” Alec asked everyone around them watch as Baba Agnieszka brought them both down to their knees, his face held in her grip.

“I see blood like rivers,” she said and her eyes held the weight of centuries. “Fires. Death. Chaos.” 

Alec looked up and everyone was watching them. He noticed some sympathy in some of their eyes. Some looked away knowing this could be them.

“Gallons of blood,” she continued and turned to face the other Warlocks. “So much blood staining the world.”

She babbled on, switching languages as she went like English can’t capture the might of her words. 

“Something else passed through the wards unnoticed, for why would anything go off for,” she said something in a language Alec couldn’t understand. “But I sensed it.”

Alec placed a had on the ground to brace himself, his runes were still sore and tingling with the aftershocks and light burn. 

“I sense the things the holy wards miss,” she said, louder but again whispered to herself. Again and again, the same word over and over but Alec had no idea it's meaning and it’s pronunciation since it’s mumbled and mulled over. “But no one ever listens.”

She kept going in her dead language, new words but scattered. 

“I have secrets,” she hissed. “Secrets that would make anyone go mad.” 

“Please, what did the wards miss.”

Again she muttered in the unknown language, the words so twisted Alec had no idea what it was. She paused and stared into his eyes. 

“The chained angel.”   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, so happy pride month I would die for Atarah and Fabia and if you remembered how I teased pov switch and fight well if I kept all I teased that would be way too long for a single chapter so next chapter. Which should be June 16th


	11. Damnatio ad Bestias

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damnatio ad Bestias means condemnation to [the] beasts/ thrown to the lions.

 Isabelle was waiting for test results on the substance, it was dark magic but it also wasn’t. She’s never seen anything like it before. It was similar to one that was on the _forsaken_ that was sent out at the Lightwood manor but also different.

So she ran simulations on the new, perfect, lab tech that Magnus gifted her.

It was made for a Shadowhunter, sent to attack to angelic cells and mutations that separate Shadowhunters from Mundanes and Downworlders. It was a biological weapon, a kind of poison, and from what she’s discovered and what happened to Jace it was painful but this version would work much faster and she assumed Jace’s Shadowhunter blood helped him survive.

It starts with breaking down the angelic cells and the muscles and bones, covering the victim in that black goo that covered Jace, painful and helping the virus spread through the body. Then it continues to eat away at the body.

Then the black goo, after being exposed to the right cells and developing to its furthered state it would harden. In between one to two hours it would change, turn to a form like tar over as far over the body as it got, which is likely all of it.

By the time the body is being ravaged by the tur like change over the skin, that would surely suffocate the victim and put enough pressure on the bones to break, the victim may not even make it an hour. The fast-acting poison would feed off of cells and depending on where the body is exposed to the substance, that spreads through touch and seeps into the skin, can die in a few minutes if its on vital organs.

Runes would only further its progression, it feeds specifically off heavily blood and will target the heavenly aspects of their blood first and foremost. Runes activate the heavenly blood and would kill you faster as it eats away at bone and muscle.

In much larger doses, exposed to many Shadowhunters, the poison could easily kill an army of them. The poison is only transferable when there is enough to carry over to a new Shadowhunter and before it hardens.

Since it hasn’t touched Shadowhunter blood its still soft.

Isabelle and careful not to touch it, but her careful fingers were twitching as she waited for the next simulations to run and she turned her gaze to Jace and Simon.  Both stood silently, Simon fidgeting and Jace cool and calm on the surface.

They would both sneak glances at the other.

Isabelle’s fingers twitched.

Her throat was dry. “Jace, can I have a word with you?”

“Sure,” Jace said, his voice light and she took his arm as they walked into a spare bedroom. Far out of Simon’s earshot.

* * *

Simon watched Jace walk down the hall, following Isabelle, he tried not to look at Jace’s ass but his eyes just are drawn to it. He looked away and all the blood rushed to his checks, he was alone in a strangers living room, blushing.

Great.

He tried not the fidget but his fingers brushed his glasses, then his belt, then the glass jars on the shelves and book spines.

He jumped as the knock sounded on the door behind him.

Jace had told him that they could leave through the wards, that the Magician had given then a pass through the wards for today but no one else can enter.

He stayed still like there were windows. Another knock.

_“Please help me,”_ a weak voice cried from the door, raspy, it sounded like a woman but Simon wasn’t sure. “ _Please, sir, I can’t…”_ the voice cut off into a coughing fit.

* * *

Isabelle gave him the run down, a poison made specifically for Shadowhunters. But that wasn’t it. Jace ran his fingers through his hair, she couldn’t help but think of the tear-stained face that admitted he didn’t like it when she touches his hand because his father would break his fingers when he played a wrong note.

“I know you like Simon,” she said carefully, scared to play the wrong note and end up with worse than a broken finger—that can be fixed with a rune—a broken relationship with her brother. “I don’t care.”

“What?”

“You heard what I said.”

“I’m not.”

Isabelle crossed her arms over her chest. “Jace, please, we may not have much time left. That poison is spread through touch and we can’t fight it off, no Silent Brother runes could cure it.”

“You said.”  

* * *

Simon crept up to the door, his opened it slowly to see an old woman, with white hair and wrinkled skin, with a heavy load of groceries, half on the ground and half clutched in her white hand.

“I’m sorry dear but what floor am I on?”

“Three,” Simon bent over and collected the groceries from the floor, the poor old woman was confused. So confused she didn’t know what floor she was on.

“I’m on floor one,” her brows knitted together. “How did I get here.”

“You must have pressed the wrong number on the elevator, a simple mistake, here I’ll help.” Simon bent over and took the plastic bags from her grip. “You know they have services that deliver straight to your place now.”

The bags were so heavy in his hands, he looked down and juice and milk by the gallon filled the bags. How did she manage to even get this all up here? Simon’s arms strained.

* * *

Isabelle has always considered the fact that she could die young but even demon poison could be contented with—depending on how much got in your system—and demons could be fought off. She can’t fight against this. She can’t square her shoulders, holding her dark adamas dagger in one hand and her whip in the other and greet death with a fighting hand.

“Then you know that now more than ever you shouldn’t hold back.”

“Isabelle, I hardly know him.”

That wasn’t what this was about, not truly. “I know. Jace please just listen.”

Jace looked around the room and sat down on the bed. “Go on.”

“I see how you look at him and please let yourself try, try to have a relationship.”

“Isabelle…”

“Jace just think about it. Take a leap of faith.”

* * *

The old woman smiled and scratched at her face, a smirk covered her face and she reached up to her brow and pulled the skin off, but it wasn’t really skin, it was really prosthetic makeup and Simon reached for the door handle behind him. The woman—who without the mask looked much younger, smooth soft skin and shade paler than the false skin—grabbed his wrist.

* * *

 Jace bit his lip. “That’s rich coming from you. You’ve never have had a serious relationship because you're scared of being hurt.”

He was right and they both knew it. “Neither have you.”

Alec hasn’t either.

“You’re scared to be vulnerable,” Jace continued, he didn’t even sound angry.

* * *

Simon tried to pull out of the woman's grip but it held like iron. She took cuffs out of her pants and locked them over both wrists. He could hear his heart pounding.

She pulled him close. “I wanted to see for myself.”

Simon couldn’t talk, his voice was lost in his throat and her other hand had slithered up his neck to cover his mouth before he could work up the courage. She pressed hard against his lip and she drew herself up to her full height, she reached back and pulled off the wig of grey hair and undid her hair so her long black hair could fall out.

Simon shook in her hold, her eyes frantically looked around the empty halls.

* * *

“I know that,” Isabelle said. “I just want you to be happy.”

“I want you to be happy too.”

“I just think Simon could bring you some light, and with some time maybe a serious relationship.”

Jace chuckled and stood up. “Or pain. To love is to destroy and to that be loved is to be destroyed.

* * *

“I had to see for myself,” the woman hissed, she pulled his tied wrists down and jammed her leg into his knee, pain sparked and he fell to one knee, she bent over him. Simon was screaming on the inside.

_RunpleasesomeonehelprunpleasesomeonerunrunrunIdon’twantto dierunrunpleaseGodnorunrunrunrn._

“Such a pretty boy, am I right to say your name is Simon Lewis.”

Simon just stared at her, his eyes down on the hand covering his mouth.

“Just nod, dear.”

He didn’t.

“That was rhetorical, I know how who you are.” She smiled and two of her teeth were just too sharp to be teeth. They were fangs, long and sharp and she bent over, her lips on his neck, she kissed and Simon screamed behind her hand, but hardly anything for out.

She licked up his neck. “You wouldn’t know me doe eyes, but I am something of a legend in my world.”

* * *

“You can’t believe that not still, not after….not with how much me and Alec love you.”

Jace looked away but his hand covered hers on his shoulder. Over the years he had learned her touch was never bad but she still was light on his shoulder. “Remember the falcon.”

How could she forget about how his father snapped his pet bird’s neck because Jace showed him kindness and not brutally.

He took her hand in his fingers, the bones reset many times and Isabelle was glad he knew she would never hurt him. It took time but once he had grabbed her hand in pain while Alec drew runes on his arm and she had nearly cried.

She would hold it while they went to the movies behind Mom and Dad’s backs and it was too scary even for her, a physiological thriller where you never knew who to trust.

It took time but Isabelle used to have plenty. She hoped she would have more.

“I can’t do that to Simon, I hardly know him but he's so, good, so innocent, so unlike me,” Jace said. “What if he ends up like the falcon.”

* * *

The woman didn’t bite, she licked and kissed at his neck and Simon was shaking, the drag of her tongue disgusting and the feel of her lips vile.

“At the risk of sounding arrogant, I am the best clan leader, I look out for my own, so don’t worry. I’ll take care of you if do just a tiny favor for me.”

Simon could hardly hear her over the sound of his blood rushing and his heart pounding.

“Oh where are my manners, I’m Camile.”

Her fangs bit into his neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I know no fight scene yet but I need a little more build to it than I thought, the flow was so far off the first time I wrote it so I'm gonna stop teasing things for the next chapters. Next chapter June 30th.
> 
> I treasure all the comments and I really do appreciate all of you who leave kudos and comments.  Thanks for reading :).


	12. Ab Aeterno

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ab Aeterno means basically "from the everlasting"/ "from eternity"/"from outside of time".  
> Also minor spoilers for The Infernal Devices.

“A chained angel,” Alec looked around, the magic flowed and the warlocks were like statues. “What does she mean,” he turned to Baba Agnieszka. “What do you mean.” 

“An angel dragged through the wards in infernal chains.” 

He imagined an angel brought low, his father dragging the chains. It was a horror to Alec, pure horror and fear like a knife in his chest, like someone stole a star, put out its fire, the holy fire. It was the highest of crimes, treason against their very nature, but maybe Shadowhunters weren’t as good as Alec always considered most to be. 

He collected himself, he wasn’t alone in terror, weight like a mountain sat atop the Spiral Labyrinth, to keep all of their kind safe and the mountain just grew another peak. The Riot wives held each other's hand, they didn’t slouch under the weight. 

“Do you know where he took the angel?”Alec asked. 

Baba Agnieszka tilted her head. “How would I?” 

“Sorry,” Alec backed up, right into Magnus. He steadied himself with the help of his balance rune that still tingled with a dying fire. “Sorry.” 

“It’s fine,” Magnus straightened himself out. “Alexander we have to go,” Magnus took his hand and from his fingers split magic strands that formed a vortex, twisting and pulsing like a heart beating. “It’s so much worse than I thought.”

“You have a plan?” a random warlock asked. 

Magnus’ hand dropped. “This isn’t the first time an angel has been trapped,” he said. “In the 1870s part of Ithuriel’s soul was trapped in a clockwork angel. We need to get to him, he will help us.” 

“The angels have abandoned the world,” another warlock said.

“Ithuriel helped Tessa Grey survive many events and being enveloped in heavenly fire.” 

“Tessa Grey?” the warlock shook his head (he must be ‘young’ in warlock standards). “The demon-shadowhunter warlock.”

“The one and only,” Magnus looked around, surveying the crowd. “Where is she?” 

A woman stepped forward, brown hair pulled back, she was in a long brown leather coat over an all black billowing jumpsuit, bracelets and necklaces adorn her. She smiled at Magnus, there is a fire in her eyes and a great weight in them. 

“Magnus,” she said. “What’s your plan?”

* * *

Simon groaned blood poured from his neck into Camile’s greedy lips, pain shot through him but also something else, he was like an animal, clawing at Camile then he was being brought high, over the clouds and crashing back down.

 He was bubbling under his skin, it's pulling at him, making him whine and push and pull and pain evaporates altogether, leaving him in a soothing quiet, it took him under. The pull of his blood into Camile’s mouth is unstoppable and Simon doesn’t want to stop it. Tears fell down his cheeks, his eyes snapped shut. A small sound escaped from the back of this throat. 

Awareness faded and Simon couldn’t tell you what was up and what was down, it was like dreaming, a foggy covering over his constantly whirring brain. He let out a sob, broken in his throat, desperate for this to never stop. 

It was so peaceful. 

* * *

“We need to meet up with the other’s—Isabelle Lightwood, Jace Wayland and a mundane—Isabelle should be finishing up her research.” 

“Speaking of research,” Tessa said, looking at another warlock, one with serpentine eyes. “The Spiral Labyrinth continued research on the poison you gave us and we figured out that it’s deadly to only downworlders, it’s not contagious and has to be ingested. It seems to have highly addictive properties but it shouldn’t kill immediately.

“The victims powers will be increased but once the high fades the aftereffects are likely to kill: going without a dose will cause seizures and wreak the body turning their powers against them, and the addiction will cause the victim to go looking for another dose to stop the pain and once that happens they’ll have gone beyond saving. It’s like _ yin fen. _ ”

Alec dropped his head, he clutched Magnus’ hand, shame clouded his head with fear, cold and sharp as a knife. It chilled Alec to his very bones. 

Magnus didn’t flinch at the news, but he could see the weight settling on his shoulders, he squeezed back at Alec’s hand. He turned to his people. “Malkerous,” Magnus said to a man horned like a ram and bald with dark skin, tattoos over his head and down his neck and over his arms, tribal and swirling, covered in emerald cloth and red silk. “Take those who don’t wish to fight into hiding.” 

“I will,” Malkerous said solemnly, his head bowed.

* * *

Sometimes when something is wrong, you can feel it. Like a chill in the air, a knife dragged across your skin. Deep in your bones, you feel a weight added. Isabelle felt that. The quiet was too much, no shuffle of shoes on the expensive carpet.   

“Jace,” she whispered and turned away from her brother, she was feeling exposed, her mask laid on the floor, her walls seen for what they are. It doesn’t matter now. She drew her whip and opened the door, the living room was empty and Jace shot to his feet. 

They moved slowly, steady and quiet. Into the kitchen, spare rooms, the bathroom door hung open, where Magnus and Alec talked was sealed shut with magic,  his phone rested on the coffee table. Nothing could get in the wards, but Simon could get out. do

Jace closed the door to get another room and crossed the room.

* * *

Simon shattered, the veil covering his head dropped and the fangs were pulled from his neck, in the seconds he was aware he was frozen, overtaken by what must be her venom. It wrapped around him, slithering under his skin. 

He fell apart into Camile’s eager hands, she scooped him up and walked up out of there, drowsy and unaware of anything but her lips back on his neck. The darkness and quiet were cast over him again, salt streaks lined his face. 

She pulled herself back, her hands tangled in his hair and pulled him back, he was still drawn in, he couldn’t throw his head back and bare his neck. He craved her bite, the rush of the venom, it was better than anything, sweeter than any sugar.

Her hand was rooted in his hair and she steered him down the steps, he faltered and slipped, wheezy and unraveling for her, it was so good, better than anything, the fear he carried with him ebbed in her care. She walked him right out the door, into the darkened streets and into the back of the sleek black car. 

* * *

Alec watched the warlocks separate, a flow of two rivers, those willing to fight against the Circle and those against it. Magnus and a green-skinned man with an old fashioned suit hugged. Alec watched, he longed for his sister and parabatai, something with the magic made the bond quiet, the connection so weak unless one of them died Alec probably wouldn’t feel anything. 

“Ragnor, will you help?” 

“I am not good at combat magic but if you need a potion I will help.” 

“And you will need a medic,” a woman came up behind them, she must have glamoured or hidden her mark. “I’ll help as much as I can, Magnus,” she turned past him to Alec and extended a hand. “I’m Catarina Loss, you must be Alexander Lightwood.” 

Alec took her hand. “Yes, it’s nice to meet you.” 

“The pleasure is all mine, now Mr. Lightwood, you may know your father best, any idea where he is hiding.” 

“He must have a place in New York, that's where he sent the forsaken for Jocylen Morgenstern and there must be a limit to this—” he pointed to his head, “thing.” 

“The river would contract tracking,” Magnus said. “A warehouse is inconspicuous.” 

* * *

Isabelle watched Jace move, his fingers grasp against the doorknob and time stops for her, a moment, dawning realization that she should have gone first. The door swung out and Jace looked around. 

Isabelle rushed to stand by him and Jace was frozen, he could smell it, from dens and back alleyways and dead bodies. It comes with fangs and dark alleyways, the stench of vampire venom, though stench is only from the association, it smells sweet, sickeningly sweet. 

They took off, not bothering with stealth because who knows how far behind they trail, down the steps and down the hall, Isabelle’s heart is hammering, she can feel Jace’s fear, her own fear for the innocent boy who will never be the same again. 

The cased the streets and the lobby, nothing.

Simon was gone, taken by a vampire. 

It could be a rouge, a clan, Isabelle cursed herself, she had one duty to keep him safe, he was helpless and naive. She failed.

* * *

“Why not on the river,” Alec’s brain was spinning, recalling memories. “He would sometimes talk of sailing.” 

“The Hudson River is long and we can’t look at every boat,” Ragnor said. 

“We don’t need to look at every boat,” Magnus said. “But it’s better than looking through an entire city.” 

“He has a point,” Loss gave Ragnor a pointed look. “An angel has to give off something, the amount of power required to keep one contained has to be easy to locate, regardless of a river.” 

“Thank you, Cat,” Magnus winked at Ragnor. “Come on Ragnor you must know I’m always right.” 

Ragnor laughed and moved to stand next to Alec. 

“Watch out for him,” Ragnor said in a voice much more serious than before. 

“He can take care of himself.”

“Yes, he can, but someone watching his back couldn’t hurt, and I’m not just talking about in combat.” 

With that he vanished into the crowd, to talk to others and he wondered how close the three warlocks are. Magnus told the warlocks willing to fight to be ready when they find the boat and Robert. The caution has been thrown to the wind, the other Circle members couldn’t do worse than capture an angel.

“What did Ragnor say to you?” Magnus asked and shot out a hand to re-stabilize the portal, took Alec’s hand again. “Something stupid?” 

“Yeah,” Alec stared at Magnus and for once he didn’t see a monster, a powerful warlock who could snuff out life like a candle but the cracks, he saw the fear seeping out of him. The cracks in his composure and he was reminded of the warlock children killed, at the death in war and maybe Magnus wasn’t only worried for himself. “It’s going to be okay.”

“I know,” Magnus stepped into the portal and Alec clung to his hand and followed. 

His runes burned again, searing fire into his skin. “I swore to fight by your side,” the wedding had meant nothing at the time and everything now, he swore to fight side by side with Magnus. “I’ll keep that promise.”

The portal spat them out, the spiral closed, the air fell back to normal, the hum of magic gone, the lush rug under his feet and he was back in the loft. “Alright?” Magnus asked. 

“Yeah,” Alec touched his runes, the fading magic only tingled and the parabatai bond snapped back into place and was opened, a flood of Jace’s emotions over him and he knew something was wrong “Jace,” he pressed a hand to his stomach and Magnus got the hint and opened the doors with a snap and flash of blue.. 

Alec rushed out to see the door wide open and Isabelle and Jace walked in, both looked worse for the wear then when Alec had left. 

“What’s happening,” Alec demanded, surveying his siblings for harm and thankfully finding nothing. “I felt,” he touched the parabatai rune through his shirt, “that something is wrong.” 

“Simon,” Isabelle offered as an explanation, she took a deep breath. “He’s been taken, by vampires.”

* * *

Simon woke up, in the back of a car and then fell back asleep before he could feel anything, but now, now with the chandelier dangling above him, gold holding crystal stars in its arms, lit with shining lights, he was overwhelmed.

A silk covered bed in the middle of the room, four posters, and cherry wood. The room sleek and modern, white and grey with expensive lights, a painting and nothing else. The door is locked shut, unbreakable. Simon rested his fists and head down in the smooth titanium door. No matter how luxurious a cage is, it is still a cage.  

“Please,” he begged to anyone who may be listening. “Help me,” he pounded his fists again, it only made his skin tingle with small shots of pain.

He paced the room, opened all the drawers and laid himself out on the bed, his hand wouldn’t stop shaking, the wound on his neck burning and something deep inside him yearned for another bite. 

The pleasure like nothing else, like the best orgasm tenfold and Simon craved another and another, he was like a wild animal, a caged and hungry one and he wanted the drip of the venom into his veins, the pull of his blood into Camile’s mouth.

 He was suffocating and he knew it was wrong, that there had to be consequences and he didn’t care, the weight on his chest wouldn’t let up and he clawed at the door, the walls, smooth and unrelenting. 

His throat was sore from begging and his hand trembled with aftershocks of venom, he still craved the venom. 

He was sweating and cold at the same time, his bones shook in ice water and his skin was smothered with fire, he curled up on the floor. He found no relief.  

He withered and let it all consume him—he couldn’t do anything. 

That didn’t make it any better as the venom curled inside him like a snake and struck, over and over again hitting Simon’s weakest spots. 

It was worse than anything Simon has ever felt and he climbed onto the silken bed and gripped the sheets, half tangled in them. 

He was kidnapped and maybe turning into a vampire, maybe just dying slowly and agonizingly. 

“Please,” he gasped into the silk and no one came for him, in his pain he prayed, earnestly to his God to save him.  

He hasn’t done that in a long time. 

Not since he was a kid and he begged for his dad to come back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Next Chapter should be up July 14th.


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